The Stone Brothers: A Complete Romance Series (3-Book Box Set)

by Samantha Christy

  She rolls her eyes, looking guilty. I can tell she’s battling with herself over what to say to me, and quite frankly it’s starting to make me a little scared. “Fine,” she says, blowing out a deep sigh. “But don’t tell me I’m the one who ruined the surprise, Nosey Nellie.”

  “Surprise?” My eyebrows shoot up. “What surprise?”

  “I may have invited a few friends over to welcome you to your new home.”

  My face cracks open with a smile. “You planned a surprise party?” I ask.

  She nods. “Well, not so much surprise anymore.”

  “Shit, Mal.” I take her hand. “Sorry I ruined it. I promise to act surprised. Is that why you wanted to go by Kyle’s first, to stall?”

  “We’re not supposed to show up at our new place until after six,” she says. “I was going to take you back to Kyle’s and, um . . . distract you.”

  I laugh. “Distract me, huh?”

  “Yeah. But now that you know about the party, I really need to take a shower and get ready. I didn’t think this through very well. I’ve got kid germs galore on me and I’d like to straighten my hair and—”

  I bury my face in her neck, licking her throat and stopping her train of thought. “I vote for distraction,” I whisper in her ear.

  She moans silently. “I promise you all the distraction you can handle later. Maybe we can even sneak in a quickie at the party. But I really need a shower. One of my students was pretty sick today.”

  “Okay, fine,” I pout. I realize she’s probably put a lot of effort into this party and the least I can do is let her look her best for it. “But I’m going to hold you to both. All the distraction I can handle and a quickie.”

  ~ ~ ~

  I’m not sure how one woman could have pulled it all off, but she did. Mallory somehow managed to make this place ours in a matter of a week. She told me she sweet-talked the manager into letting her have the keys so she could get started putting her touch on it. She even outfitted our master bedroom with brand new furniture. She gave everyone a quick tour when we got here. When we got to the bedroom, I was sure to hold her back and tell her exactly how I planned to break in our new bed.

  “So you planned a party, went shopping for bedroom furniture, and got our new house in order—all during the very first week of school.” I shake my head in awe. “I’m marrying Superwoman.”

  She laughs. “I prefer Wonder Woman, actually.”

  The only people who couldn’t make it are my parents. With the exception of the Defcon crew who were at our engagement party, everyone else who was there is here tonight. Even Megan. Her parents moved her to Boston a few weeks ago so she could start at MIT. Mal sent her a train ticket and Ethan and Charlie graciously agreed to house her for the weekend. Smart girl, my fiancée. We wouldn’t want anyone around to hear me make her scream my name later.

  The women are all fawning over baby pictures. Skylar and Baylor, two of the three Mitchell sisters, both had little girls in May. They gave birth to cousins who are only two days apart. Mallory told me all about them this summer. She’s going to make a great mom, I know it. We probably should’ve had a conversation about kids before getting engaged. I know what she went through at sixteen. And I know she wants kids someday. I just hope we’re on the same page about it.

  The doorbell rings and I look around the room, confused. Everyone I know is here. I open the front door and see my manager on the other side. “Hi, Paul.” I look behind me. “Uh, sorry. I didn’t know you were in town. My fiancée threw me this surprise housewarming party.”

  He rolls his eyes. I’m assuming at the word fiancée. “I know,” he says. “She invited me.”

  I look over my shoulder at Mal, but she’s busy with the women. “She did?”

  What that woman will do for me never ceases to amaze me. She hates Paul. She knows Paul hates her. But she’s trying to forge an amicable relationship between them. Damn, I love her.

  “Don’t look so surprised,” he says. “I can be a decent guy sometimes.”

  I hear heels click on the tile in the common hallway and stick my head out the door. “Oh, hell no.” I push Paul out the door and shut it behind me so we’re standing outside in the hall. “What the fuck, Paul?”

  Heather and Lila walk up to us. “Sorry,” Heather says. “I got stuck signing autographs in the elevator. Can you believe I got propositioned again? By a fan, no less. When will they understand things never work out between actors and regular people?”

  I find myself shaking my head at how uncanny the similarity is between Heather and Mallory. Of course, their physical appearance is where the similarity ends. And I’m certain now that’s what drew me to Heather in the first place. But the two women couldn’t be more different in personality. I swear to God if I were to Google ‘bitch,’ Heather’s picture would show up under it. I sure as hell knew how to pick ‘em back then.

  I give Paul a look of death. “Why would you bring her here?”

  Paul shrugs like he has no idea I hate the pretentious she-devil standing next to him.

  Then I greet Lila, who is an old friend of mine from Malibu whom I dated briefly before Heather. “Hey, Lila. Nice to see you.”

  Lila pulls me in for a hug. “Oh my gosh, Thad, it’s been so long. I hear you’re engaged. Congratulations! And you’re moving to New York? How exciting. I can’t wait to meet your fiancée.”

  I always liked Lila. I should never have broken up with her for Heather. But Lila wasn’t into drugs and Heather and I were. And my priorities were all fucked up back then. She was and still seems to be a great girl. “I’m glad you could come,” I tell her.

  I turn my attention to Heather. “Surely there is something better you can find to do with your time than hang out with my fiancée and I in our new home,” I say, with no uncertain meaning.

  “Oh, come on, Thad. We happened to be in town and Paul invited us,” she says. “He’s Lila’s manager now, too.”

  “Really?” I’m a little surprised at that, but also happy for Lila. Paul is a highly sought-after man in the entertainment business.

  “That’s right,” he says. “I’m going to shoot her straight to the top, just like I did you.”

  Paul likes to take credit for everything. Well, not everything. He takes credit for successes. Failures will land you right out on your ass in his book.

  “I’m sure Lila could do that with any manager,” I tell him. “Can I talk to you for a second, Paul?” I walk to the end of the hallway by the stairwell. “What are you thinking bringing Heather here? You know I don’t get along with her. Do you have some ulterior motive?” I look back over at Heather and Lila and it dawns on me. I lean against the wall and let out a sigh. “Thomas changed his mind, didn’t he?”

  Paul just stares at me.

  “Of course he did,” I say pacing back and forth. “And you’ve brought reinforcements to try and talk me into signing on, too. Am I wrong?”

  He shrugs a smug shoulder.

  I walk back to where Heather and Lila are standing and address them all. “I’m telling you right now that I’m not doing it. So if you’ve come here to beg me to do the Malibu movie, you can leave now and not waste your breath.”

  The door to my apartment opens and Mallory spills out of it, obviously tipsy from the free-flowing champagne. “What’s going on out here?” Then she sees Heather and her smile falls. “Oh.”

  Shit. I really wish she wouldn’t have opened the door. Mal is too nice to send them away. Even though she despises Heather. I walk over and put my arm around Mallory. “I was just telling Paul that they might be more comfortable somewhere else.”

  As anticipated, Mallory looks at me in horror. “Uh, I invited him. You can’t send him away.”

  “Yes,” I say, smiling while speaking through my tightly closed jaw. “But he’s brought unexpected guests, babe.”

  “I can see that,” she says, looking embarrassed that I’m not being hospitable. She holds out her hand to Lila. “Hi, we hav
en’t formally met yet, Lila. I’m Mallory. Thad has told me very nice things about you.”

  Lila shakes her hand. “It’s good to meet you, Mallory.”

  “Heather,” Mallory says in the driest of acknowledgments. After all, the last time she saw her, Heather’s hand was on my bare chest in the living room of my house. She motions them all in. “I trust you will all respect that this is our home and this party is to welcome Thad to New York.”

  Heather scoots by us before Mal has a chance to change her mind. Lila thanks her and ducks in as well, followed by Paul, who doesn’t seem to give a shit what Mallory or I think.

  I pull Mal close. “Just say the word and they’re gone.”

  “It’ll be fine,” she says. “Do you know how many people in there have our backs?”

  I look in the apartment, feeling damn lucky to have these friends and family in my life. And it’s all because of Mallory. She brings out the best in everyone. She brings out the best in me. “You’re right. Come on.” I pull her behind me. “I think I’ll have my drink now.”

  She giggles and offers to get me one. But before she leaves, she whispers to me. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I’ve already had three. My judgment is not the best right now. Obviously,” she says, giggling again while motioning to Heather. “And I might just let you feel me up in the bathroom. But, shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone.”

  I laugh as I watch her walk away. I’m one lucky motherfucker.

  I notice Heather heads straight for the bar. Nothing ever changes with her. I swear if she brought drugs into my home, I’ll call the goddamn police on her myself. She’s trying her best to mingle when most of my guests want nothing to do with her. “Who are you?” she asks Julian, pointing at him rudely.

  “I’m Julian, Thad and Mallory’s friend from way back. I’ve also escorted the lovely Ana Garner to this fine party.” He smiles at his beautiful date.

  “Oh . . . my . . . God,” Heather says dramatically. “Not again. Is there something in the fucking water here?”

  “Shut up, Heather,” Hayden says, coming over to run interference. He pulls me aside. “For the love of God, why did you let that woman in?”

  “I didn’t, Mal did,” I tell him. “She didn’t want to be rude.”

  “Well, I have no problem being a prick. I’ll kick her ass out where it belongs.”

  I shake my head. “No, don’t do that. Not unless she does something stupid.”

  Mallory comes up behind me, kissing my neck. She’s definitely feeling good right now. She never gropes me in public. I reach my hand behind her head and press her lips further into me. God, she smells so good.

  “Here’s your drink, babe,” she says, putting it down next to me.

  I see Heather watching us from across the room. I realize what I’m about to do is probably not the best move, but it’s my house so I really don’t fucking care. I pull Mal into my lap and kiss her. Hard. Cheers erupt around the room from everyone here. Well, almost everyone.

  Mallory’s dad beckons me over to him. Shit. Maybe I shouldn’t have done that. “I think I’m about to get scolded by your father,” I tell her.

  She giggles. “That man worships the ground you walk on, Chad.”

  “Still. He’s big and I just had my tongue down your throat.”

  I help her off my lap and make my way to Richard. He asks me to join him on the balcony. He hands me a small box. “In this box are the rings I gave to Mallory’s mom. I don’t know what you have planned for her wedding ring, and if you don’t want them, I’ll understand, but I thought maybe you could somehow use the diamonds . . .”

  “Yes. Of course, yes, Richard. I know Mallory would be honored to have something that belonged to her mother.” I take the box from him. “Thank you.”

  “There’s one more thing,” he says, looking nervous.

  “What it is?”

  He looks around uncomfortably. “I’m not exactly sure how to give Mallory some news.”

  I can’t help my smile. I had suspected as much. “You’re getting married, too, aren’t you?”

  He nods. “Yes. But that’s not the news that might be hard for her to hear.” He nods inside to Denise.

  It takes me a minute to wrap my brain around what he’s trying to tell me. “She’s . . . you’re . . . ?”

  I’m not sure if he’s happy or terrified. Maybe a bit of both. He releases a long sigh. “Denise is pregnant. Mallory is going to be a big sister.”

  “And this is a good thing, right?” I ask, just to be sure.

  He smiles and pats my shoulder. “This is a great thing,” he says.

  “She’ll be over the moon, Richard. She tells me all the time how happy she is to see you living again.”

  “Will you be there when we tell her?” he asks.

  I nod. “Of course. How about Sunday at your place?” I ask. “Just the other day we were talking about making it a weekly thing. If that’s okay with you.”

  “I would love that,” he says. “Now go back to your party, son. Quit letting this old man monopolize your time.”

  “Old man my ass,” I say. “You’re about to remember what it’s like to wake up for 2 a.m. feedings. That’ll keep you young.”

  Back inside, I hunt down my drink. After all, I better enjoy the heck out of it since I get only one.

  Lila asks Mallory for a tour of the place since the rest of the guests already had one before she arrived. Mal is all too happy to show off our new digs.

  Julian comes over to sit next to me, looking all serious. “What is it?” I ask, studying him. “Oh, hell, you’re not breaking up with her, are you? Ana really likes you. I think she might even love you. You guys are great together. I know you don’t think you want this life, but Julian, it’s no big deal. You’ll work it out. You see how good it is for Mal and me. With your background, you can get a job anywhere. Or Ana can move; she can live here in New York. You can’t just throw it—”

  “She’s pregnant, Chad.”

  What the fuck? I take a large swig of my drink, tossing it back in a single swallow.

  I glance over at Heather, who’s looking at me but talking with Paul. Then I look over at Richard and Denise. I say to Julian, “I guess there really is something in the water.”

  “What?” he asks in confusion.

  “Nothing. So, uh . . . I’m not sure what you want me to say. Are you asking me what you should do?”

  He shakes his head. “No.” He looks over at Ana as she laughs with Noreen, Megan, and Charlie. “I think I might want to marry her.”

  This night is turning into the most surreal night of my life. I’m starting to feel a disconnect between my mind and my body, like all of this is a dream happening to someone else.

  “Is that what she wants?” I ask.

  He shrugs. “I’m not sure. She just told me yesterday. But look at her,” he says. “She looks happy, doesn’t she?”

  “She looks happy, Jul-ann. You shuuu go fer it.”

  He scrunches his eyes at me. “Are you sure that’s your first drink, bro?”

  “Uh huh,” I say, laughing. But the laugh comes out of my eyes, the sound swirling into the room in brightly colored hues. “Somethin’s goin’ on.”

  A loud crash comes from behind us. I turn to see one of the distraught caterers who had dropped a glass of champagne.

  “I’ll deal with that,” Julian says. “Go drink some water.”

  I get up and float to my bedroom, walking through to the bathroom so I can splash some water on my face. When I lift my head up, I look in the mirror and see Mallory behind me. Actually, I smell her more than I see her. Because at this point, everything I see is little more than a blur. I need to lie down.

  “How strong a drink did ya make me, Mal?”

  She comes up behind me and whispers into my ear. “Let’s get you into bed, Chad.”

  I turn around and bury myself into her. She smells so damn good I can see it. I can actually see her smell. It’s like pink an
d purple flowers are coming out of her pores. I want to grab them. I reach out and feel her hot flesh under my hand. She’s so soft and welcoming. I let her lead me to our new bed. I’m already getting hard. I know what she promised me earlier and she’s about to deliver.

  When she guides me to the bed, I feel like I’m not even moving but that I’m stationary and things are moving around me. Every object has a tracer feel to it. Not trails like when you move a flashlight quickly, more like paths of liquid, like wormhole trails in sci-fi movies. Oh, yeah, I’m doing research for that film. That’s what this is. I should thank Mal for helping me.

  When she pushes me down on the bed, it’s in slow motion, the bed swallowing me up when I hit the soft duvet. I hold my arms out for her to join me, but when I do, my hands are white static, like I’m in a virtual reality game.

  Mallory leans down to kiss me and it’s like no kiss I’ve ever felt. Not only can I feel her kiss; I can see it. And when she puts my hands to her breasts, I can hear them as well as feel them. And I surmise this is the best fucking dream I’ve ever had in my life.

  She rips off my shirt and I rip off hers, seeing the sounds of her buttons as they fly through the air. She leaves me as I watch them float and suspend above my head. When Mal comes back, she sits beside me, holding something up to her nose as she laughs in delight. She holds something out to me, telling me I should sniff it and it will make all this even better.

  I just want to be inside her so I push her hand away, watching the wormhole trail as it moves. “Just need you . . . now.”

  She climbs on top of me, grinding herself into me as I try to touch as much flesh as I can, but our damn pants are getting in the way. I reach down to fix the situation.

  And then, I hear voices. Many voices behind me. But mostly I hear Mal. Which is strange, because Mal is on top of me. But when I turn my head to see the voices, I see Mal. She’s everywhere in the room. She’s yelling at me but I see her words more than I hear them.

  “Stupid bastard,” I see floating through the air. Then I hear something small hit the top of my head.

  More images appear in my bedroom, floating around me.