A flicker of animation rolls across his features. “Nice analogy.”
“Never mind that. Do you get what I’m saying, Linc?”
He starts to the house and I follow a step behind, giving him space. His head is bowed, his hands in his pockets, before he stops and faces me again.
“What if I get caught looking?”
I place my hand on his shoulder. “I’m not going to tell you this is going to be okay because I don’t know if it will.”
“Geez. Thanks.”
“But I do know one thing for a fact. Regardless of whether you play baseball or if you have to figure out something else, you’re going to do it with all of us behind you. And while that doesn’t help in a lot of ways—you still have to figure things out yourself—you won’t have to do it alone. You have a tribe of brothers and sisters behind you to help you along the way, just like you all came to bat for me this week.”
His lips quirk. “So if I call you and need a job in the Governor’s Mansion, you’re fine with that? You’ll let me be your Director of Sports or something?”
“There is no such thing,” I groan, starting back to the house again.
“Maybe it’s something we can start.”
“Maybe we concentrate on getting you rehabbed so we aren’t trying to fit you in the Governor’s Mansion, all right?”
His grin is back in full force. “Barrett?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
Glancing at him over my shoulder, we start up the steps. “That’s what family’s for.”
Alison
THE CLOCK CHANGES TO THREE o'clock in the morning. The party has dwindled down, all that's left of the celebration is a tremendous mess that someone’s going to have to clean up later.
Huxley went to bed hours ago. Harris and Vivian left around one, escorted home by Troy.
Lincoln is lying on the sofa, his Tennessee Arrows hat pulled down over his eyes, snoring away. His right arm is draped across his body, his left hand on his right shoulder. I catch Barrett watching him.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Nothing, really."
"You're lying."
Barrett grins. "Lincoln's arm is fucked up worse than he's letting on. He has some major therapy to do coming up and if it doesn't get better, he might not get re-signed."
"Oh, Barrett." My heart pulls for Linc.
"It sucks. It's all he's ever wanted to do. He's had a ball in his hand since he could pick it up. He could rattle off stats as soon as he could talk."
"Can we help?"
"No. He has to do what the doctors say and hope he didn't completely ruin his shoulder."
“I’ll say a prayer for him.”
I look around the room, but we are the only ones left. Ford, the responsible one, went to bed upstairs with his dog. Graham headed home first, right around midnight, with a look of pure satisfaction on his face. Harris is the one that praised Barrett the most tonight, but I secretly think it's Graham that's the most proud.
Camilla left, escorted by a friend of their family just a few minutes ago. Barrett glared at the guy all night, so I'm not sure if he's going to be around much longer. Sienna is the only Landry, besides Barrett, still awake and she's sitting on the back porch with Lola, comparing tattoos the last time I eavesdropped. They have the same eclectic taste, the same free-spirited mentality. They’ve hung out together all night.
The excitement of the last few days has taken its toll and I feel completely exhausted. My bones hurt, much to my surprise. I'm utterly spent. The mixture of emotions, the worry, anxiety, pride, anger, fear have all sapped my energy, and I'm left standing in the living room of the Farm trying to figure out what's next.
Barrett comes up behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist. I tilt my head to the side automatically, and his lips find my ear.
"Ready to go to bed?" he asks, kissing me right behind my lobe. He’s chewing on the inside of his cheek, a tell-tale sign that he’s feeling me out. He’s waiting on me to make the next move. But I don’t know which move to make.
Barrett spins me around, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Ms. Baker, I’m getting impatient.”
“Why?” I giggle.
“Are you ready to go to bed or not?”
"Are you sure it’s okay for us to stay here? I mean, Hux is already asleep, but I could just take him home. I didn’t realize—”
He silences me with a kiss, a lingering, sweet gesture that makes it impossible to not melt in his arms.
When he pulls back, he’s smirking. “You’re staying here. I’m not giving you an opportunity to overthink things or talk yourself out of this. This, you and me and Huxley together, is our new reality.”
My exhale comes out in skittish waves, my anxiety palpable. “I can just go home and we can see each other soon.”
"Yes. Yes, we will. Soon, as in, when I wake up and open my eyes and see you lying beside me in my bed. Then you can go downstairs and sing while you fix Hux and me breakfast."
It sounds wonderful, blissful, actually. But a part of me thinks it’s too soon for that. He might need time to process this. I might need time to process this.
"Stop," he whispers, taking my face in his hands. "I don't."
"You don't what?"
"Need to think about this."
"I didn't say that," I point out.
"You didn't have to, babe."
Just like he did on the night I first met him, he breaks me down inch by inch. His charm softens my resolve, his smirk weakening me further. His touch and scent as he pulls me into him obliterate whatever objections I have left. It’s ridiculously unfair and totally overwhelming . . . and only one of the reasons I fell in love with him.
Although he’s different than any man I’ve known, and he’s nothing like Hayden, I can’t help but feel a little blip of uncertainty sweep over me. Knowing he deserves the opportunity, I give him a chance to sway me to his side.
"What if this is all wrong?" I ask.
"What if it's all right?"
"What if we mess this up a million different ways?"
"What if we nail it every way we go at it?" he smirks.
"What if you decide you hate me?"
He laughs, kissing me on the nose. "What if you decide you’re going to love me forever? Because that, Ms. Baker, is what I’m going to make sure happens."
I rest my head against him, listening to his heartbeat. The room is quiet, the televisions off, and for the first time since this craziness started, it feels like it’s just him and me.
Wrapped in his arms, I feel safe. Loved. Respected. Those are things I’ve not experienced before. More than that, he’s worthy of all of those things in return.
"I have something to tell you too," I say, lifting my chin so I’m looking him in the eye.
"Yeah?"
"You won my vote back."
He laughs. “What finally convinced you?”
“Let’s see . . .” I say, twisting my face in total concentration. “It might have been seeing you without a shirt on. Or it might have been watching you with Huxley. But, then again,” I shrug, a smile touching my lips, “it might have been the grapes.”
Barrett
IT’S EVERYTHING I THOUGHT IT would be.
Her arm lies across my chest, her hair spilling across the pillows. She’s pressed as close as possible to my side, probably more my doing than hers, but I’m not complaining. Her chest rises and falls against me, and it’s the most peaceful, beautiful moment of my life.
I place a kiss against her forehead and say a quiet prayer of thanks. I’m so grateful for all the things that have happened over the last few weeks, even the bad because even with them, I still got here. And I wouldn’t risk redoing anything if that meant putting this moment in jeopardy. I wouldn’t do that for all the money in the world.
Alison stirs beside me, her long lashes fluttering before her lids rise. It takes her a second to realize where she is and watching that realizati
on spatter across her features is priceless.
A slow smile stretches across her lips that beg to be kissed. “Morning,” she says sleepily.
“Morning, beautiful.”
She stretches and starts to pull away and I just sink her in even closer, if that’s possible. She understands my sentiment because she shakes her head, but relaxes, her head on my chest this time. “I could get used to this.”
“You better get used to this,” I reply, my tone sharper than I intended.
She gazes up at me, cocking a brow, and I shrug.
“What? You think you’ll be out of bed before me in the morning?” I ask, a tease in my tone.
Before she can reply, the door flies open and Huxley leaps from the doorway, through the air, and lands on the foot of the bed. “Morning!” he almost shouts before jumping on top of his mother and I.
“Hux!” she says. “Easy, kiddo. It’s early.”
As he shimmies himself on top of the blankets between us, I catch her eye over the top of his head.
“And you’re going to have to start knocking,” she laughs.
“I can’t help it,” he says, giggling. “I have so much energy.”
“What have you been into this morning? What time is it?” she asks.
“I don’t know, but Uncle Linc made waffles with chocolate syrup this morning. Have you ever had that, Mom?”
Laughing, I roll onto my side so I can see them both. This would’ve seemed like the oddest picture a year ago but now, it’s perfect.
“It’s because he’s really a little kid smashed into that big body,” I say.
“I can see that,” Hux replies, considering my words, making us laugh.
“You know, Huxley,” I say, tapping him on the stomach. “We have a few things to discuss today.”
“We do?”
“We do. We were going to have a conversation about what we were going to do with this mom of yours. Remember?” I glance at Alison and watch her blush.
“Oh, yeah,” he says, looking at me. “What are we gonna do with her?”
“Hey, now!” Alison shoves at Huxley. “Be nice to your mother.”
Hux doesn’t glance her way, just watches me, his little eyes filled with anticipation.
“I’m going to have to move to Atlanta in a couple of months,” I tell him, watching a wave of worry storm through his irises. “I have a lot of work to do there.”
He looks at the ceiling, then the wall, then out the window. Anywhere but at me.
“I can’t be in Atlanta if you guys are here,” I whisper.
His head jerks towards me, a smile tickling the corner of his lips.
“I’ll worry about you both, and I won’t get anything done. It’ll be hard for me to see you guys, and then she’ll stop singing while she cooks, and then everything will go down the drain.”
“So,” he starts, his voice shaky, “what are we going to do? If you leave, she’ll cry, and I’ve already told you I can’t deal with that. Plus, you promised you wouldn’t make her cry.”
I know Alison is staring at me. I can feel her gaze heavy on my features, but I keep mine fixed on her son.
“I did promise you that. That’s why I propose you both come to Atlanta with me.”
“Really?”
Nodding, I reach across him and take Alison’s extended hand. She squeezes it and holds on for dear life.
“Really, Hux. It would mean a new school for you, new friends. You’d be away from your grandparents a lot of the time and I know that would be tough for you. If you go with me, that would mean we would live together. Our lives would change. Do you understand all that?”
He doesn’t look away this time. He doesn’t smile either. He just searches my face for a lot longer than I expect.
My heart starts thumping because I thought I had this in the bag. I was sure I did. But the look on his face, the blank canvas, makes me think I overestimated myself.
“Barrett?” he asks finally.
“Yeah?”
“Are you going to marry my mom?”
I force a swallow and look at Alison. She wipes a tear at the corner of her eye and opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.
My heart swells. The peace and love in this room is such a different feeling than I’ve ever felt, even with my own family. This gorgeous woman and her son support me and love me, even when I mess up and even when I might not deserve it.
I’ll do anything in my power to ensure they’re mine forever.
“Would that be okay with you, Hux?” I ask. “If I married your mom one day?”
“I’d really like that.” His words are heavy, pressed around a lump in his throat. “I think that would be really great, actually.”
Alison squeezes my hand and brings it to her mouth, planting a soft kiss against my knuckles.
“I’ll have to talk to her about that and hope she agrees,” I wink, “but if I have your blessing, that’s a step in the right direction.”
He leans over and wraps his arms around my neck, knocking the wind right out of me. Before I can respond, he leans away.
“I’m going to go find Lincoln. He has this app on his phone,” he says happily, bouncing off the bed and scurrying toward the door, “that—”
“Stay off of Lincoln’s phone!” Alison and I both shout in unison as Hux slams the door behind him.
Laughing, I pull Alison close to me again. “I’m not responsible for whatever he learns or sees from my brother.”
“Lord, help us,” she giggles. Tilting her head and looking at me, she smiles. “Did you mean what you said to Hux?”
“I meant every last word of it.”
A sparkle glimmers in her eyes. “Really?”
“Speak as you find. Remember?” I grin. “As far as I’m concerned, we are together for the long haul. However you want to make that permanent is fine with me, as long as it is.”
“It is,” she whispers.
“Roll over here and show me you mean it.”
She starts to straddle me, the heat of her pussy hot against my cock, when Huxley’s voice shouts from the hallway.
“Maybe we should lock the door first.”
The End
Swing, Lincoln Landry's story, coming Winter 2016!
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FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WOULD like to thank the Creator for all the blessings in my life. As a human, I’m always quick to ‘ask for help’; I think it’s also important to remember to say ‘thank you’ too.
As always, my family is the most supportive and encouraging bunch of people on the planet. Mr. Locke, the A-Team, my mother and in-laws: I love you all.
Jen, Susan, Michele, and Joy read this no fewer than a million times. Thank you is utterly insufficient. Ashley, Robin, and MaryLee also gave incredible feedback and attention to this story. Carleen and Kiki came in at the last minute and gave this story their valuable time. You are all so appreciated!
Mandi kept me going through this process. I’ll be your faith, you be mine. It’s how we roll, right, Pres?
Alison, I value your friendship more than you’ll ever know. I love you.
I’m not sure I would’ve pulled this one off without the love and support from SL Scott. I love you and your phone calls and ab-mergencies.
My team, once again, rocked this project. Huge hugs to Kari with Kari March Designs, Christine with Perfectly Publishable, and Lisa C. with Adept Edits for lending your expertise to this project. Thank you to Kylie at Give Me Books for helping me get this out there, Jen at Kinky Girls Book Obsessions for everything you do, and Jillian with Jilly’s Polished Proofs for making this sparkly. Hugs to Lisa W. for taking time away from everything you have going on, including your business A Bookish Life on Etsy, to make my frantic self teasers. I love you all.
Sending kisses, too, to Stephanie Gibson for being awesome, Candy Collins (Manning) for updating the Lock
e Library, and Jade Hyland (I didn’t kill anyone!) for helping with All Locked Up. You guys rock!
My days are made better by knowing the following women: Angie McKeon, Jen Lynn, Dawn Costiera, Randa Lynn, Staci Hart, Kennedy Ryan, Gail McHugh, Gretchen de la O, Lili Valente, Serena McDonald, Lexy Storries, Kaitie Reister, and Kara Hildebrand. Thank you for being light in my life.
My Facebook group, Books by Adriana Locke, and Goodreads group, All Locked Up, are my escape. The readers in those groups give me so much love and energy that it would be impossible to do this without them! Thank you all for giving me so much energy and encouragement. (And if you’re reading this and aren’t in there—join us!)
My Instagram Girls keep my days full of smiles (and hotness!). There are so many of you now that I would worry I was leaving someone out. Thank you all for your posts and edits—you are the most talented group of women anywhere!
Blogging can be a tedious, thankless job. I want to extend a huge dose of gratitude for the blogs that have jumped on board and supported this release. You make this possible and I’m forever grateful.
And you—yes YOU! Thank you for choosing to pick up Sway. I know you have a million choices and I’m honored you chose my story. I hope you enjoyed it.
xo
Addy
USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, two dogs, two cats, and a bird. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.
Besides cinnamon gummy bears, boxing, and random quotes, her next favorite thing is chatting with readers. She’d love to hear from you!
She has two groups where she’s interactive daily! Join Books by Adriana Locke on Facebook or All Locked Up on Goodreads to talk books.
Contact Adriana
Sway (Landry Family #1) Page 31
