The Blue Collar Bachelors Box Set: The Complete Blue Collar Bachelors Series

by Miller, Cassie-Ann L.

  My words shock me. I can’t believe they’re coming from my mouth. Before this moment, I’d never begged for a dick in my life.

  Sophia Gallo has always been a lady. A classy chick.

  I’ve never been so brazen about what I want in bed. Yes, I would give Josh subtle hints and indirect suggestions—lord knows he needed them—but never have I come straight out at the height of my orgasm and screamed…

  “Give me your fucking cock! Don’t you fucking stop! Pound me until you fracture my pelvis!”

  Yeah…those kinds of words were never in my vocabulary.

  They weren’t until tonight, at least.

  Chapter Six

  Sophia

  Standing on Reese's front porch with a steaming Crock-Pot of chilli beans in hand, my eyes fall shut and I suck air into my shrivelled-up lungs. My heart is thumping, my palms are clammy. I'm freaking out just a little bit.

  Tony is here.

  Tony from Las Vegas.

  Tony, the man who took me to his hotel room and delivered on his promise to fuck the heartache right out of my system.

  Archie, who doesn't know he's the father of my child.

  Shit!

  He's on the other side of that door and when I step into that house, I'm going to have to face him. Cue the anxiety attack.

  I should have stayed home. I shouldn't have come here today.

  I spent forty minutes flat-ironing my hair. And maybe another half hour fussing over what to wear. Eventually, I settled on a flared denim summer dress and low-heeled sandals. And I’ve been second-guessing that decision from the minute I walked out the door.

  Ever since River was born, I've been a throw-on-a-pair-of-yoga-pants-and-go type of gal. Getting dolled up doesn’t come naturally to me anymore. But my womanly pride demanded that I put in the extra effort today. Because some part of me wants him to look at me again. The way he did that night in his hotel room.

  The sound of laughter floats my way from the backyard where Leo's birthday festivities are under way. I lean my forehead against the pristine white front door and take a few breaths. In and out. In and out.

  This is stupid. Why am I psyching myself out like this? This is just a barbeque at Reese and Leo's house. I've been here a million times.

  But this time is different.

  Ever since I ran into Archie in that narrow hallway outside of the washrooms, my body's been reliving the memory of our night in Vegas. My heart's been replaying the confessions we shared as we laid together in that dark hotel room. I hate to admit it but now that I know he's here in Copper Heights, a little spark of hope has blossomed to life in my chest.

  Maybe...

  "No, Sophia. No maybes," I whisper sternly to myself.

  Optimism used to be my best friend. I held so hard to the belief that everything works out for the best and everyone gets their dreams-come-true. My blind hope led me into a ditch and left me there. I've spent the last two years digging myself out and there's no way I'm letting my naive outlook drag me back into the gutter.

  There's no 'maybe' for Archie and me.

  I throw a glance over my shoulder toward the end of the block then check the time on my phone. The 58 bus is scheduled to pass in seven minutes. I have more than enough time to catch it—

  The door bursts open and I yelp, barely keeping the chilli beans from slipping through my fingers and splattering all over the all-white porch.

  Brenton stands in the open doorway, all decked out in a Spiderman costume and a lopsided birthday hat on his head. He grins bare gums up at me. "Look, Aunt Sophia! The tooth fairy's taking all my teeth." He holds a tiny, white incisor in his outstretched palm.

  Laughing, I crouch down in front of him to inspect his mouth. "Looks like it," I say. "How are you supposed to chew your broccoli when you don't have any teeth?"

  He snickers deviously. "When I lose all my teeth I won't have to eat broccoli anymore. I can just have candy all day."

  The child's well thought out plan makes me chuckle and for a moment, I forget all about my nerves and about Archie.

  Reese's head pops out from around the corner down the hall. "Oh, I thought I heard your voice," she says with a smile before her attention turns sternly on her son. She steps into the hallway with little Maizy hitched on her hip. "Brenton Montgomery—what did I tell you about opening the front door?"

  "But Mommy, it's just Aunt Sophia."

  "You didn't know that," the mother counters.

  "Yes, I did," he argues. "My spidey senses told me."

  Shaking her head, Reese sighs and moves toward us on bare feet. When our eyes meet, we share a little laugh. "Kids, huh?"

  She presses her cheek to mine, her lips pursing in a kiss. Her little boy ducks out of the doorway and scampers away. "Right...If you don't let yourself find the humor in their shenanigans, they’ll just drive you crazy."

  She's got tired mom syndrome written all over her face but she's happy. I can see it in the smile that lingers on the edges of her mouth even as she wiggles her shoulders, loosening her tired back.

  "Tell me about it." I nod in agreement as I try to toe off my shoes on the mat without losing my grip on the Crock-Pot. Before I can remove my sandals, my friend loops an arm around my back to stop me.

  "Come inside. Leave your shoes on. Everyone's out back."

  Everyone's out back. I silently wonder if everyone includes Archie.

  With a hand on my shoulder, she guides me into the house. "You brought your famous beans? Smells so damn good." Reese takes the lead, trotting hurriedly down the hall toward the kitchen. "You look gorgeous, by the way. I hope you burned all your yoga pants to ashes because that dress is to die for on you.”

  The compliment makes my gut tighten and Archie's face flashes across my mind. Secretly, I wonder if he'll like the dress, too.

  God, this is silly.

  "Are you sure?" I manage to whisper anxiously as I glance down at my denim ensemble again. “I mean, it’s probably the only non-yoga-pants outfit I have that still fits after my pregnancy and I had to dig it up from the bottom of some random suitcase in my storage closet so I gave it a thorough sniff test but I still wasn’t sure if it smelled musty and I was tempted to Febreeze the shit out of it but I didn’t want to smell like Fresh Harvest Pumpkin because that’s the only scent I had on hand and I think I bought it sometime last fall but now we’re in summer and nobody wants to smell Fresh Harvest Pumpkin in summer so I chose to say no to Febreeze.” I gulp. “Do I smell musty, though?”

  Reese throws me a confused look over her shoulder, her eyes telling me that none of what I just prattled out made sense to her. "No, you don’t smell musty, Sophia...Are you okay?"

  Breathing through my nerves, I nod and follow my friend toward the kitchen, muttering an apology under my breath.

  Whatever she's cooking in here smells amazing, a mouth-watering mix of herbs and spices with undertones of greasy, salty bacon. But with the way my stomach feels right now, I’d probably be better off sticking to saltine crackers.

  Nova is standing by the backdoor, bouncing a fussy Madalyn in her arms. She grins when I step into the room. "Oh, look at you! No yoga pants today! Cute dress." She glances down and affectionately kisses her baby’s forehead before turning back to me. "You didn't bring River?"

  Angling my back to my friends, I slide the chilli onto the counter and wipe my clammy hands down the front of my dress. "Um, she’s at Angie and Ben’s house. It’s auntie and niece time again. I’m sure it’s wild and crazy over there."

  Angie lets the child get away with everything. Chocolate for lunch. Skipped naps. Cartoons all day. It’s anarchy whenever my sister gets to babysit.

  But there's no way I was bringing River here today. I wasn't sure what I would be walking into and I definitely didn't want her in the middle of it. Yes, the thought of seeing Archie has butterflies rioting in my stomach like a high schooler with a crush. Still, at the end of the day, protecting my daughter is my number one priority. I’m a mo
ther first, above all else. I can’t bring her around him unless I’m sure what his intentions are.

  "Well, that's too bad,” Reese says as she sets Maizy in the playpen in the corner where her twin brother is already gnawing away at a teething toy. “Maizy and Lennox were looking forward to seeing their friend."

  "They’ll hang out at daycare on Monday." I crouch down in front of the playpen and tickle the babies' chubby bellies. “Yes, they will. Yes, they will.” The children giggle, flashing gummy smiles.

  "Don't get too comfortable down there on the floor," Reese says, as she pads over to stir the pots on the stove. Her voice lowers conspiratorially as her eyes flit to the back porch where the men are gathered around the grill. "I want you to meet Archie."

  My belly flips over with nerves. "Ugh! You still haven't let that go?"

  "Come over here and get a look at him.” Nova waves me over with one hand. "Don’t let all that hotness catch you by surprise. Come. Take a minute. Breathe in. Absorb all the hotness. Become one with the hotness.”

  I chuckle. "I can see him just fine from over here." My eyes fan over his form and the black coffee I had for breakfast six hours ago bubbles in the hollow of my stomach.

  Damn it, he's gorgeous.

  His handsome profile is a bit harder now. His hair is longer, too. Just long enough for sliding probing fingers through. My fingers twitch, wondering what it would feel like. His white T-shirt doesn't stand a chance against that broad back and the corded muscles in his arms. Black sweatpants hang low on his hips and the tight roundness of his glutes is almost obscene. Just looking at him has me sweating.

  Fanning myself with my hand, I speak to Reese. "Is the air conditioner broken? Gosh, open the windows in here or something. I’m about to start melting." Before anyone can respond, I’m over by the sink, flinging the windows open, one by one.

  While I’m struggling to unhook one of the latches, the back door slides open. Laughing wildly, Brenton bursts through the curtain of birthday decorations hanging in the doorway. I throw a glance over my shoulder in his direction and my heart tumbles into my belly...

  Archie is there in the doorway, broad and tall and majestically rugged. He's grinning from ear to ear as he follows Brenton into the room.

  Our eyes meet.

  His steps falter.

  His smile freezes.

  The sheer violence of his beauty causes my body to spin around without my brain's approval. My throat tightens painfully as I try to shove words out of my mouth. "H-hi..." is all I can manage.

  He blinks rapidly. His smile is back and it's more glorious than ever. "Hi.”

  Charlie pushes past him and comes tromping into the kitchen. A quick kiss lands on Nova's forehead then he glances at me. “What’s up, Soph? Nice dress." He gives me a playful jab in the shoulder before he yanks open the fridge door. "This is Archie, by the way. Archibald Jones. He served with Leo and me." He crouches down in front of the vegetable drawer and starts rummaging around. "This is Sophia Gallo,” he tells Archie. “We go wayyy back. We used to live across the street from each other when we were teenagers."

  I try to add something to the conversation but it feels like concrete has hardened in my windpipe. "Oh, uh, I..."

  A knowing smirk rides Archie's plush mouth as his attention travels the length of my body, making every inch of me prickle. His teeth sink into his bottom lip for a fraction as his nostrils flare and I'd kill to know what he's thinking right now.

  Slowly, his hand lifts from his side and extends to me. "Nice to meet you, Sophia Gallo. A pleasure." His eyes twinkle with innuendo.

  His big, rough palm slides against mine, tightening around my fingers. It's all electricity. And when he brushes his lips over my knuckles, my heart smashes about in my chest.

  I distantly hear Charlie muttering something about his friend being a charmer. The words drown beneath the ruckus of my blood whooshing through my ears. I know that everyone in the room is staring but that’s really low on my priority list. I’m trying to focus on not dissolving into a denim-clad pile of mush.

  "It's nice to meet you." I barely manage to squeak out as I pull my hand back.

  And Archie absolutely loves watching me squirm. "It really is a nice dress…" he whispers close to my ear.

  His hot stare tracks down my body again and I know he’s scheming.

  He’s trying to figure out what it’ll take to get me out of my clothes. Oh, boy. I think I’m in trouble.

  Chapter Seven

  Archie

  Leaning my weight against the deck's wooden railing, I twirl my empty beer bottle around between my fingers. I steal a look over at the picnic table across the yard. My eyes collide with hers.

  Again.

  She freezes like a deer in the headlights when I catch her. Then she blinks half a dozen times in rapid succession, snaps her head away and stabs at the salad on her plate with her fork.

  Again.

  And a smile unfolds across my face. The chemistry between us is still there, that lust simmering right beneath the surface. I haven’t forgotten what it was like between us when we first met. Her touch. Her kiss. The electrical storm that danced in the air all around us.

  This thing between us is half-finished and I have every intention of getting right back into it while I’m here in Copper Heights. She isn’t going to make it easy, though.

  After our awkward “introduction” in the kitchen, Sophia was eager to escape into the backyard. Now she’s sitting with the group of women eating, laughing and gossiping under the shade of the huge white oak. But she can’t stop her gaze from repeatedly drifting over to me and I can’t take my eyes off of her.

  She looks gorgeous. So pretty and demure in her girlish denim dress with her dark hair parted down the middle and carefully tucked behind her ears. She’s more curvaceous than when we met. Two years ago, she’d been slim and athletic with long, slender limbs and a slight slope to her ass. Now, she’s filled in in all the right places. Her plump breasts swell against the neckline of her dress and the denim she’s wearing flutters around her widened hips.

  And I’m a man, so of course I want to get my hands on that luscious body. But beyond all that, I freaking missed the girl.

  It’s weird to admit that to myself because the way we left things, we were never supposed to see each other after that night. But the moment I laid eyes on her again, it hit me just how deeply I’ve craved her presence all this time.

  But she pretended not to know me when Charlie introduced us today. No one realized that she was lying.

  It's our little secret.

  If that's the way she wants to play it, I'm game. A little plausible deniability is always fun. But I’ve got to admit, it kind of stings that she hasn’t mentioned me.

  I mean, even when I was halfway around the world, in a dense, mosquito-infested jungle, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I was scribbling out postcards to Leo and Charlie, gushing about the unforgettable woman I met just days before shipping out.

  Of course, I didn’t tell them she’d been at a bar in a wedding dress, because they’d just chalk it up to Archie being Archie. Impulsive, reckless, always looking for trouble.

  It was more than that, though. It was more than me being up to my usual shenanigans.

  When I saw Sophia sitting alone at the bar, crying quietly, invisible to everyone around, a part of her reached out to the deepest part of me. I couldn’t just look the other way. She needed a hero that night. And approaching her may just be the craziest thing I’ve ever done, but I regret nothing.

  On the edge of my consciousness, I hear Charlie yapping away. "...And I know they may not be the type of guys you'd grab a beer with on the weekend or have a deep, meaning-of-life conversation with. But business is business. They're your coworkers. On the worksite, you're gonna have to put your differences aside. Because at the end of the day—"

  Leo's gruff laughter cuts through Charlie’s monologue. "I'm willing to bet Archie hasn't heard a word you've
said over the past five minutes." My eyes snap away from Sophia and shift back to the grill where Charlie is flipping the burgers. Leo grabs my empty bottle and slips another cold beer into my hand. "He's too busy with his eyes on Sophia." Leo bounces around as he speaks to entertain the baby strapped to his chest.

  I toss a cursory glance in Charlie's direction. "I get it, man. I won't cause trouble on your worksite. Now, give me a break." My attention wanders back to Sophia at the picnic table across the yard. I tip the neck of my bottle in her direction. “Is she seeing anybody?” Gulping from my beer, I try to mask how deeply I’m invested in the answer to that question.

  Leo sees right through me, anyway. “Nah, she’s not seeing anyone,” he tells me with a sly grin. “But that’s all the information I’m giving you. If you want any more details on her, you’re gonna have to ask her yourself.”

  I glare at him.

  He stands firm in his position. “I’m a grown man, Archibald. This isn’t some Friday night sleepover in the 4th grade. You won’t get the gossip from me. Go talk to her.”

  Charlie nods in agreement.

  These assholes won’t budge an inch. All afternoon, I’ve been trying to grill my friends for information about her but they won’t give up the goods. They keep saying that if I want the details about Sophia, I have to get those details myself.

  They’re trying to push us together and I’m not opposed to that idea one bit. It appears that she, on the other hand, is less than willing. And she’d rather pretend that we don’t know each other at all.

  My chest squeezes when I glance at her and again, our eyes meet.

  I grin. She looks away.

  You're killin' me, Daisy.

  Chapter Eight

  Sophia

  “Soph, you can just leave all those dishes right there. I’ll take care of them in the morning.” Reese bounces Lennox on her hip as she goes around the room picking up discarded paper plates and plastic utensils. A weary Brenton clings to her leg, whining about not wanting to go to bed. She looks pretty weary herself.