by Kelsie Rae
Little does he know, I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my life, and I wouldn’t get very far if people never gave me second chances.
I mean, have you met me? I’m kind of a mess.
“So you’re saying you were wrong?” I repeat, hiding my smile.
He nods.
“And you’re saying you love me?”
Another nod.
“And you’re saying I’m always right no matter what, from here on out?” I look at him pointedly, my stern expression slowly slipping from my face.
Derrick rolls his eyes before nodding again, causing me to giggle at his complete surrender. Pretty sure I could get whatever I want out of him right now, but I’m too giddy to take any further advantage.
“Well… are you going to make me kiss you first, again, or are you going to grow a pair?”
I barely get the last word out before his lips are on mine, aggressively kissing the shit out of me. His hands are still gripping my face as he growls possessively. I feel like we flew straight past a simple make-up kiss and are heading rapidly toward indecency, my hands clawing at his white collared shirt. I have the first two buttons undone when Jude clears his throat. Twice. Derrick pulls away, his breathing heavy as he glares at his best friend for interrupting us.
“I’m sorry mate, but shagging in public is slightly frowned upon in the States. Maybe you should head to Amsterdam?” I giggle at his remark before grabbing Derrick’s hand and heading to the parking lot. Our co-workers’ hoots and hollers echo as we exit the building.
I barely make it past the door when Derrick shoves me against the rough brick exterior of the bar, gluing the front of his body to mine. His hands roam my curvy frame, expertly playing me like a fiddle while I hold on for dear life.
Fifteen minutes later, Jude exits the building and scares the living crap out of me. I shove against Derrick’s broad chest, attempting to put some distance between us even though he barely budges an inch.
Jude throws his hands in the air, exasperated. “Really, mate? Couldn’t even make it to the car? Now shoo! I don’t want to have to bail your arse out of jail tonight for public indecency!”
Derrick only laughs, rubbing a bit of my red lipstick from the side of his mouth. Little does he know his entire face is covered in the crimson color.
My cheeks are burning as I grasp Derrick’s hand, twining our fingers and leading us to his car. We spend the rest of the night being plenty indecent behind closed doors in his bedroom.
28
Derrick
The next morning, I wake up to realize I’m still living a dream. Bree is in my arms snoring softly while drooling on my bare chest like always. She looks like a gorgeous but passed out angel, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I chuckle softly, loving the fact that she’s here when I seriously doubted she would ever give me a second chance.
Staying away from her this past week, instead of groveling as soon as we got home, was torture. Jude assured me that Bree needed time to cool off, and I think he was right about my little Spitfire.
I called Kathy from the car on our way home from Vegas and threatened her job if she let Bree quit officially. Thankfully, Kathy didn’t disagree in the slightest. She has fallen in love with Bree as well and wants to keep her around. I needed Bree close, even if I couldn’t contact her quite yet. I also had high hopes that she’d reconsider her resignation once we worked things out.
Bill is right. Bree is in incredible asset to any company, and I want to keep her in my own. That being said, if she decides that working somewhere else would be better for our relationship, I’ll support her decision.
Bree’s thick lashes flutter, a soft smile gracing her gorgeous lips as she finds me staring at her.
“Morning,” she murmurs into my chest, hiding her stinky breath in my armpit.
I simply roll her to her back before kissing her desperately, slipping my tongue between her lips lazily.
“Breezy, you could smell like garbage, and I’d still find you the most appealing creature on the planet. Stop hiding from me.” Her cheeks turn a light shade of pink before she nods slowly, acknowledging my comment.
“I love you by the way,” she whispers out of the blue, her voice scratchy from sleep. She seems nervous, which is funny considering I just professed my love to her last night. But instead of teasing her playfully like I would normally do, I wrap my arms around her and kiss her forehead. My heart feels at peace with her confession. I know without a doubt that together, we can weather any storm thrown at us.
“I love you too, Hurricane.”
Epilogue
Bree
Derrick wasn’t kidding. His sister, Chelsea, is visiting with her husband, Ted, and their three children, two boys and one little girl. The chaos is out of this world, and I’m afraid his white couch isn’t going to survive their trip. We’ve found spaghetti on the stairs, apple juice on the rug, and a mysterious brown smudge in the hallway. I’ve been assured it wasn’t poop, but I don’t think we’ll ever know for sure.
It’s been awesome. Seriously. Chelsea and I hit it off immediately, and Ted is pretty great, too. His niece and nephews, however? They managed to steal my heart from day one.
Derrick and I are snuggling in our bed while madness ensues outside our closed door. We moved in together about six months after Operation Karaoke, and it’s been an incredible experience getting to spend all of my free time with the love of my life.
I’m finally getting to experience the love that I was so envious of in Luke’s life. And it’s absolute perfection. Sure, we have our arguments like any normal couple, and Derrick is still working on his trust issues. But we know that we’re both all in. That we’re willing to fight for our relationship. That giving up isn’t an option. And in the end, all that really matters is the effort you put into a relationship in order for it to blossom into awesomeness.
I nuzzle into Derrick’s warm chest while tucking my toes between his knees to stay warm. It’s winter in Utah, which means it’s freaking freezing.
Derrick wraps his thick arms around me, giving me a giant bear hug before kissing the top of my head and simultaneously smelling my wild tresses. He groans from sexual frustration, since I refuse to have sexy time while his sister is one door away.
We learned early on that I am not a quiet individual inside or outside of the bedroom and decided to keep things PG until we have some real alone time. It’s only been three days, and we’re already dying.
“I can’t take it,” he groans, rolling on top of me. His arms are on either side of my head, creating a muscled cage, leaving me little room to move.
“Three more days, Babe,” I whisper while running my fingers across his bare back, tickling his heated skin and causing goosebumps to spread. “We can’t do it with kids in the house,” I admonish.
“But what about our kids?” he rumbles, leaning down and nibbling on a tender patch of skin below my ear.
My face borders one of surprise and absolute glee at the mere mention of our future children.
“I’m sorry, can you repeat that for me?” The question hangs in the air while Derrick continues assaulting my body with open-mouthed kisses. I can feel him smiling against the sensitive skin on my neck.
“I said, I’m not planning on living a life of celibacy just because we have little monsters in the house. I assume we’ll have at least three.” His lips trail down my stomach teasingly.
I squirm under his attention, my focus wavering from the conversation to his expert ministrations. “And when should I expect these little monsters to arrive?” I practically moan.
“Nine months or so after the honeymoon,” he responds conversationally, like he isn’t in the middle of rocking my world.
“You can’t have a honeymoon without a wedding, Derrick,” I admonish, my tone light and teasing.
“Obviously,” Derrick says, his head popping up from my bare stomach as he reaches over to his nightstand, opens the door, and grabs a small black box
.
I’m not stupid. I know what’s inside those little boxes. And I desperately want to see what’s inside this particular one.
Derrick grins at me, not an ounce of unease on his stupidly gorgeous face.
Him asking is pretty much only a formality because he already knows I’m going to scream “yes” at the top of my lungs as soon as he finishes. But that doesn’t stop him from declaring his love for me and asking me a very important question that I have no doubt in my mind I’ll only need to answer once in my life.
“Bree. I love you. I want to have babies with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to stand in the eye of the hurricane, where nothing can touch us as long as we’re together. Will you marry me, Hurricane?” His voice is dark and rich, like my favorite kind of chocolate. My mouth pulls into a grin before whispering a word that will change my life forever.
“Yes.”
The End
Dear Reader
I want to give a quick shoutout to you, my reader. The person risking a few dollars on an unknown author. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your support! I couldn’t do this without you!
Thank you for taking a chance on a newbie.
Kelsie would also greatly appreciate it if you could take the time to leave a review on goodreads or amazon. It’s amazing how such a little thing like a review can be such a huge help to a new author!
Also by Kelsie Rae
Liv- Luke and Liv’s story
US → https://amzn.to/2INZIIb
Jude-Available August 2018
A sneak peak of Jude is on the next page. You can also sign up for Kelsie’s newsletter to receive the first three chapters for free! (She likes to give her subscribers an exclusive look one week before every release!)
Rhett-Available October 2018
Jude
Copyright 2018 Kelsie Rae & Subject to Change
Chapter 1
Jude
“Shite.” I curse, attempting to balance my iPhone and a paper plate. It’s currently holding a just-baked frozen pizza still piping hot from the oven. Using my forefinger, I grab the fridge handle and swing open the door, grabbing a bevvy before slamming it closed.
I set my plate on the kitchen island and pull out a barstool before plopping down on the wooden seat. My focus is solely on the screen as I watch an online game of Gateway Guardians that’s streaming through a platform called Flinch. Flinch allows you to shadow other players while they compete in the game.
It’s been about a year since Derrick and I expanded our business and we’re raking in the cash. Yes, you heard that correctly. We. Derrick made me a partner shortly after a few large investors threw money at our budgeting company. Their investment allowed us to offer services to the majority of banks in the States bringing in a pretty penny. We’ve been voted one of the most lucrative new corporations this year by Forbes, and it’s been quite the adventure.
Recently, Derrick decided we should up our marketing game, and I suggested we sponsor a team for the Gateway Guardians Competition. It might sound dorky, but you’d be amazed at how many people watch the competitions. You could fill an entire arena with spectators. It may even be as popular as a royal wedding.
Gateway Guardians is an online game where you have teams of five play against each other. The goal is to collect a highly guarded gemstone thus ending the game. Essentially, it’s Capture the Flag on steroids and requires a great deal of patience, technique, and finesse. I’ve been playing for years, and was even on the British team a few years ago before retiring and moving to the States.
Now I just play recreationally. Juvenile? Probably, but it’s addictive as hell.
Currently, I’m watching my favorite player stream through Flinch. While the main screen is a shot of the game they’re currently playing, there’s a tiny square in the bottom right that allows you to see the player too. In most instances, I couldn’t care less about what the gamer looks like, but with this beauty, I find myself mesmerized by her expressive face more than the game.
The girl capturing my attention is none other than the up-and-coming gamer, Quincy Phillips or Quik_Q182. She’s relatively new to the circuit and has recently started taking the world by storm. She’s got fiery red hair that reaches down her back and makes me want to teasingly tug on it like a boy in school. It’s often in a ponytail or hidden beneath a black beanie, the curls fanning around her slender shoulders. I’m pretty sure she’s never worn an ounce of makeup in her entire life, but it doesn’t stop her jade eyes from shining like the brightest jewels in a quarry. And have I mentioned her alabaster skin? It turns a lovely shade of pink any time she’s flustered or excited. Don’t even get me started on the freckles scattered along her cheekbones that pop in to say hello any time she’s flushed. Those bad boys could bring a grown man to his knees.
It’s never been a problem to fantasize about her because she’s practically a celebrity in the gaming world. Everyone has their celebrity crush. Don’t deny it. We all have that one actor or singer that if we ever met them in person, we’d piss ourselves before passing out from sheer shock.
Quincy just so happens to be mine.
I stumbled upon her a few months ago while browsing Flinch and have been lusting ever since.
That is, until I found out Derrick’s planning on sponsoring her team for the championships. Now I just feel guilty for drooling over her.
As I take a bite of pizza, my eyes remain glued to my phone. I hiss in pain as the molten lava sauce burns the crap out of my tongue and the roof of my mouth.
“Bollocks!” I curse.
Dropping the offending slice onto my plate, I reach for my drink while my eyes remain focused on the screen. I watch intently as the fiery haired babe finishes off her last opponent with a complicated kill shot only an advanced player could replicate. Especially when her avatar is known for stealth and not slaying opponents.
“Yes!” She squeals triumphantly, pumping her fists in the air before remembering she has loads of spectators watching her ‘happy dance’. Her piercing gaze turns to the camera and I can’t help but feel as if she’s looking at me personally instead of the thousands of subscribers witnessing her latest victory. “Thanks for watching guys! I’ll see you next time.” She smiles shyly, her cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. That one innocent look causes my heart to race almost instantly and I’m reminded yet again of how much she affects me. As soon as she finishes talking, the screen goes black and lets me know that she’s signed off.
Feeling disappointed that my source of entertainment is over for the evening, I grab my pizza and head to the black leather couch in the center of my family room.
I live a few blocks from work in a renovated warehouse that houses several tiny flats. The interior walls are covered with rough red brick, the cream mortar seeping out slightly between the rectangular cubes. The floors are a sealed gray concrete that I’ve covered with thick cream rugs to add warmth. My appliances are stainless steel, and all of my furniture is black or cream in color. There’s a simple hallway past the kitchen that leads to a single bathroom and bedroom. My home is small, but perfect for my needs. And the location is great.
I sink into the leather cushions before grabbing the remote and turning on ESPN. Gingerly, I take another bite of pizza. Thankfully, it’s cooled enough that it doesn’t burn the roof of my mouth all over again.
While watching TV, my phone rings on the ebony coffee table. Derrick’s name flashes as I slide my thumb across the screen to answer.
“Hello, wanker.” I grin, leaning back in my seat and placing my mobile between my shoulder and ear.
I take another bite as Derrick replies, “Hello to you, too, dipshit.”
Smirking at his term of endearment, I wait for him to continue.
“I just wanted to let you know that I got a hold of AFK’s manager. They’re having their first team meeting this week, and I want you to go and represent us.”
“Pardon?”
“I said,” he dr
ags out the words slowly, like he’s speaking to an idiot, “that Bree already booked your flight about ten minutes ago. We’re sending you to be the representative for us. Their manager, Jett, almost had a coronary when he heard you were coming. You’re still a freaking legend, man.”
I roll my eyes before he even has a chance to finish. Yes, I was good. I’m not going to deny that, but I hardly consider myself a legend. I just happened to quit right after winning the world championship while I was still on top. The majority of gamers always seem to throw in the towel after they’ve already lost their touch. I just got sick of all the politics that came with the gaming community and unwittingly timed my resignation perfectly.
The gaming community has such a quick turnover that I’m surprised Jett even recognized my name.
“Well, isn’t that just lovely.” I reply, tartly.
“Come on, Jude. It’ll be cool to have some fans again. Soak it up. It’s not like your ego isn’t big enough already.” he jokes, “Jett even mentioned you coming on as an assistant coach for Finals.”
He drops the unofficial job offer like it’s not a big deal, but I’m quite taken back from it. Being an assistant coach for the World Championship of Gateway Guardians is an honor. I’d have a chance to relive the glory days without signing up for anything long-term. But that also means I’d have to be one-on-one with Quincy Phillips for more than a day or two, and I’m not sure if that’s a brilliant idea.
I remain silent, letting the idea marinate.
“And what about my current position?” I question, thinking I found a loophole.
“Dude, this would be great exposure for the company. Sponsoring the team was a good idea, but having the owner of our corporation assist in coaching would be insane!”
