by Sam Crescent
“You never come to the park,” Trixie said, shoving her hands into her jeans.
Her mother looked like she was going to say something, but then silence fell between them. “I like the fresh air, and since the park has been taken care of, my friends come to visit it as well. I didn’t come here to speak to the likes of you. Your father still can’t bring himself to speak about you. Just looking at you, you’ve fallen so far.”
“That’s fine. I understand. You told me that I was no longer your daughter, and I was dead to you. At first I had never felt pain like it, but now, I don’t care. You see, Mom, I’m happy. For the first time ever I am happy. That man over there, Ace Heart, he has made me the happiest woman in the world, and I’m going to marry him. I finally know what love is, and even if I never see you again, I know it’s going to be okay.”
“Is that what you’ve come to say? That you are going to give everything up to become some slut in a tattoo parlor?”
Trixie smiled. The voice her mother used, it was filled with so much loathing and disgust, and it drifted off her like water.
“I guess I am, Mom, and I’m going to be happy doing it.” She stepped forward, and embraced her mother even as she tensed. “You have no more power over me. You and I, we’re done.”
She turned on her heel and walked away. Ace stood, and she stepped into his arms.
“Are you okay, babe?” he asked.
“Me, yes, I’m totally okay.” He looked over her shoulder, and she cupped his face, shaking her head. “Don’t even give her the time of looking over at her. She made her choice.”
“It didn’t go well?”
“It went exactly as I expected, and you don’t need to worry about her, or even care what she thinks. I don’t. She’s nothing.”
Pressing her lips against his, she smiled. This man was her life, her future, and her everything.
He held her close, and just staring into his eyes, she knew she’d be more than happy.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you even more.”
“I don’t think that’s possible.”
Sitting down between his thighs, she ignored the woman who had nearly ruined her life, and instead enjoyed lunch with her soon to be husband, and his mother. Ace kept her hand locked firmly in his grip. So long as they were together, anything was possible.
Epilogue
Five years later
“Reese, get your butt down here right now. I told you not to draw on your sister,” Ace said. His arms were folded, and he was glaring upstairs. His five-year-old son had yet to make an appearance. All the books had said he needed to be firm and fair.
This was what looked firm to him, arms folded, and ready to tell his son off for, once again, drawing a butterfly on Izzy’s forehead.
“I like it, Daddy. It pretty,” Izzy said, standing beside him. At three years old she was a little fighter, and most of the time, she bested Reese.
“She wanted a butterfly, Dad. So I gave her one.”
“Your mother is due back from the store any minute and what did she say to you?” Ace asked. His son’s head popped around the banister, his red hair spiking all over the place. No matter how much gel he used to tame that hair, it did whatever the hell it wanted.
“She said I wasn’t allowed to draw on Izzy because I’ve got coloring books to do that inside.”
“And?”
“And it’s not fair that she has to clean it off Izzy’s head.” Reese hugged the banister.
“And what would happen if you did it?” Ace asked.
“I wouldn’t get ice cream.”
“What about if I didn’t stop you?” Ace was finding it hard not to laugh.
“You wouldn’t get ice cream.”
“What is Mommy gone to get?”
“Ice cream.”
“Then come on down, so we can clean Izzy’s forehead, and we can both have ice cream.”
Izzy screamed in a giggle. “No. I love my pretty butterfly.” She spoke in baby speak, but Ace understood her just fine.
Kneeling down on the floor, Reese climbed on Ace’s back, and together they hunted down their prey.
They were rounding the corner, coming out toward the front door, and Ace stopped. Trixie, her stomach already swollen with their third child, held their little girl in their arms. She laughed down at them.
“I cannot leave you three alone, can I?” she asked, laughing.
Reese climbed off his back, and ran toward her, wrapping his arms around her.
“I was totally watching them,” Ace said.
“You were, and this is probably the best butterfly I have ever seen. As it happens, I changed his pens for washable ones, so we won’t have to keep the butterfly for long.”
Ace took the shopping, and they headed toward their kitchen. Izzy was placed in the high chair, and as he put away the groceries, he watched the love of his life as she used wipes to rub away the butterfly.
She had taken a picture as well, and Reese had gone toward the computer to grab the printed out picture.
“He is so talented. Just like his daddy,” she said.
“Can I still get ice cream?” Ace asked, moving up behind her. He kissed her neck, and placed his hand on her stomach.
“You can have anything you want,” she said, sinking against him.
“Ew, Mommy and Daddy are being so gross,” Reese said, handing the piece of paper over to her.
His son would one day follow in his footsteps. He was so damn good. Taking hold of Trixie’s hand, he gave it a squeeze to which she did the same back. His woman, his wife, his love, there was no limit to his happiness. He loved her so damn much, and his children, his family, it was everything he had ever wanted.
She leaned back, and smiled. “I love you.”
Pressing a kiss to her lips, he whispered the words against her ear, knowing he would show her in every single way tonight.
The End
www.samcrescent.com
Other Books by Sam Crescent:
www.evernightpublishing.com/sam-crescent
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BONUS SAMPLE CHAPTER
SOME SUGAR
Curvy Women Wanted, 3
Sam Crescent
Copyright © 2017
Chapter One
Hunter Graham was the biggest pig in the world, and Faith Bryant should know that. They shared the same apartment floor, and nearly every evening without fail, she had seen different women coming and going out of his apartment. He was a horrible excuse for a human being, and just because he was good-looking didn’t allow him to hurt women. Storming around her apartment, Faith was sick to her stomach. She had only just gotten back home and there had been a woman outside of his home, sniffling as she left. What Faith hated even more was that Hunter was also one of the sexiest men she had ever seen. Even as she disliked him, she hated that her body responded to him. She didn’t want to respond to him in any way, and it drove her crazy.
She had shared this floor with Hunter for the past year, and it had only been in the past month that she had encountered the crying women. It was probably because she had changed her hours, and so at five in the morning, she was getting home from a night at work.
Faith worked in a casino, and had found the pay was better if she worked nights rather than if she worked during the day. It wasn’t like she had a life anyway, so working nights for more money seemed like the way to go. Now, though, she was wishing that she had stayed completely oblivious to her neighbor’s shitty existence. All of her sexual fantasies were now ruined, and he had been recurring in them for a long time now, too long. She wasn’t a crazy stalker, but even she could see the potential in Hunter. The hard abs, muscles galore, and he seemed nice, but now she knew differently. Crying women, and she may have seen a crying m
an as well. Either way, what was wrong with being nice to a girl?
Putting away her few groceries, she took the salad that she had made herself before leaving for work, and sat at her table. Opening up her laptop, Faith checked the jobs section as she didn’t want to always work in a casino. She didn’t know what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. At twenty-eight years old, she had been in and out of jobs ever since she left high school. From the moment she could leave home, she hadn’t looked back. There was no way she was going to rely on anyone to help her. No college for her, so she had worked as a cleaner, an advisor, a waitress, and now she was working at a casino, waiting tables, and earning quite a decent living. She hated dealing with the drunks and the people that lost their money, but other than that, she had quite a good life.
She had a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood, and she could afford a few luxuries in life. Still, she was always on the lookout for what could come next. The economy over the past few months had taught her one thing and one thing only: nothing was ever stable or secure. She had to make her own security. She saved like crazy, and worked her ass off.
Scooping up some more of the quinoa, she was about to eat it when there was a knock at her door.
Glancing at the time she saw it was just after five-thirty. Getting up, she made her way toward her door, and stared through the peephole. There on the other side was a half-naked Hunter.
Crap. He was an asshole but he was a sexy one, and even though she refused to admire that, her body was a big fat betrayer. Her pussy grew slick at the sight of him, and that was through a distorted lens.
Opening the door a little, she kept the lock firmly in place.
“Hey,” he said. “I was wondering if I could borrow some sugar.”
He held up a pot, and she stared at him, and then the pot. His hands were so big, and she couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like on her body.
Get a grip, Faith.
Closing her door, she slid the lock back, grabbed the pot, and went to her kitchen. Grabbing a spoon, she started to scoop out some sugar, all the while aware as he came into her apartment.
“So you don’t have any boyfriend waiting here?”
She frowned, turning toward him. “Why would you think I have a boyfriend?”
“You’re always coming home late. I didn’t know if you were staying at your guy’s place.”
“I work at night.”
“Oh … oh, is it like that?” he asked. His brows were raised, and she moved back toward him.
“What the hell are you talking about?” This was the most they had ever spoken, and right now it didn’t sound all that good.
“You’re a whore. It’s fine, I don’t judge.”
Faith’s mouth dropped open. She was in so much shock. “I’m not a whore. I work at a casino that’s open all night. Wow, you think I have men pay me for sex?” On the one hand, it was a compliment. He thought that a guy would pay her for sex. So sweet of him, and also humiliating.
“I had no idea. I clearly know how to put my foot in it, or my words. Crap. Let me make it up to you. Dinner.”
“Hell no. I’m not having dinner with you. Not a chance in hell. Wow, I can’t even begin to believe what is going on right now. Get the hell out of my apartment, now!”
She shoved him out of her apartment, and the moment the door was closed, she let out a sigh. How dare he!
****
Shit, he had really screwed up with that one. Hunter took his pot of sugar and made his way back toward his apartment. He really needed a cup of coffee. It had been a long night, and he was tired. Not that he wanted sugar. He enjoyed a sweet coffee, but he just couldn’t go another day without talking to his neighbor. Faith Bryant. He had been watching her for the past year, and she was an anomaly. He had tried to keep his desires to himself and ignore his very sexy, curvy neighbor, but that was even harder to do. Faith was curvy, sexy, and a mystery. He wanted her, and seeing as he was out of sugar, he figured it could be a good starting point. Screwing up, the dinner invitation had seemed like the best thing to offer. Of course she didn’t want that either. He had screwed up.
Way to go, Hunter. Calling her a whore.
He was so pissed off with himself, angry, and annoyed as fuck. He helped people with their lives at every turn, and yet he couldn’t get this woman to date him. Not only couldn’t he get this woman to date him, he couldn’t even get her to talk to him.
Being a life coach was a damn challenge at times and it certainly didn’t help him at times like these. He took specific clients who were hoping to get their life back on track. He would spend weeks with each client, helping them. First, he had to strip them down and take away all the crap that they had believed about themselves. He was a believer in doing and achieving. Once he removed that self-doubt, he would then help them build their confidence, giving them challenges to help them in life. He had just had Sarah, a particularly difficult client, leave, and she had been very emotional. She hadn’t been sad. They were happy tears. He hated it when women left his home crying, even if they did so in happiness. They would hug him and thank him. He hated tears but oh, well. Sarah was a happy client and asked for them to continue meeting once a week for the next few months until she was sure she was happy.
He wasn’t going to turn her down. Besides the fact she paid him for his help, he wanted to make sure she was living the life she always wanted.
Grabbing his jacket and keys, he left his apartment, staring at the door of his neighbor. No matter what, he couldn’t think for a second what he had ever done to his neighbor. There hadn’t been any parties, nor had he done anything stupid. In fact, he had been a good neighbor, even when some of his friends wanted him to party. When he realized the person living on the same floor as him was a woman, he didn’t even try to have parties, and instead kept his get-togethers quiet and simple.
The guys came over for game night, and he occasionally did movie night.
So why did she dislike him so much? He didn’t get it. Entering the nearest grocery store, he grabbed a little basket and started to fill it with fresh vegetables and fruit. It had been too long since he went shopping, and he wasn’t big on cooking, and did everything to avoid it. He even had the takeaway stores on speed dial. He was all work, and very little play.
His cell phone rang, and he saw it was Paul.
“Hey,” Hunter said.
“Did your latest whacko leave?” Paul asked.
“Don’t call them that. You know I don’t like it.”
“Whatever. People with confidence issues. It doesn’t matter. Is she gone?”
“My latest client is gone, and she’s making good progress.”
“Please, the only progress she wants to make is on your dick.”
There were times he wondered how he was still friends with Paul. The man didn’t know how to be modest or even sweet. It was all fucking, all day long. In fact, he was surprised that his friend hadn’t gone into being an escort, he loved fucking that much. Then again, Hunter loved sex, too. He loved fucking, and getting down and dirty with women. There was no room to be prim and proper in his bed. It had to be pure fucking.
“Not everyone is desperate for sex,” he said, glancing around the shop to make sure he wasn’t near anyone. The last thing he needed was to offend someone.
“Please, give me a break. Where are you?” Paul asked. “I’m outside your place, and clearly, you’re not here.”
“I needed to get a few things. My neighbor doesn’t like to share.”
“Which neighbor?”
“The one I share a floor with.”
“I’ve not seen her. Is she cute?”
Hunter thought about Paul fucking Faith, and he didn’t like the anger that consumed him at the thought.
“Stay away from her. She’s not worth playing with.”
“Oh, why not?”
“She’s a lesbian. You’ve got no chance of getting with her, and more chance of getting your dick sucked
by me.”
“I always knew you wanted me, mate. Fine, fine, I’ll wait.” He heard some movement, and imagined Paul sitting his ass down on the floor near his door.
“Try not to get me kicked out of my place. I’ll be home in ten.” He disconnected the call and hurried toward the checkout.
He rushed toward his home, and was outside his apartment within eight minutes, only to find that Paul was nowhere to be seen. Entering his apartment, he called out Paul’s name, and again, nothing.
Frowning, he pulled out his cell phone, and dialed his number.
“Hey, man,” Paul said.
“I rushed back here, and you’re not.”
“Oh, I’m at Faith’s.”
Jealousy coursed through him.
“Hey, babe. Hunter is back, and I’m going to head out.”
Hunter went to his door, and watched as Paul opened Faith’s front door, and she was behind him. They were laughing and talking, and he didn’t like it.
“You know, those lemon-blueberry rolls are the bomb. I’m going to have to drop by to have another lick,” Paul said, leaning in a little too close for Hunter’s liking.
“What’s going on?” Hunter asked. He stared at Faith and saw the anger in her eyes as she looked at him.
“Your friend was all alone, so I invited him in.”
“He wouldn’t have been if you’d just let me borrow some sugar.”
“Why don’t you stop hurting women and start shopping for stuff you need?” She didn’t wait around for an answer, and slammed her door closed.
Growling, Hunter turned on his heel and began pacing.
