She eased away from him, her heart thumping with a newfound courage. No more leading with her head. This time she’d trust her heart’s instincts. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, Trevor. You do that every time you look at me. Every time you smile or touch me.”
“That mean you’re saying yes?”
She smiled and her body hummed with a certainty she hadn’t felt in years. “I’m absolutely saying yes.”
Epilogue
Trevor ambled back from resetting all the soda cans along the makeshift firing range toward the seven—and eight-year-olds lined up behind a row of hay bales. He still hadn’t decided which picture tickled him more—the kids having a heyday with their pellet guns, or his brothers trying to keep up with the kids demanding help every five seconds. No surprise, Axel had gravitated to the three little girls on the end, which also meant he had the very rapt attention of their mothers.
Rounding the edge of the area they’d partitioned off in an open field, Trevor checked to make sure no one had moseyed into the line of fire and gave the green light. “All right, shooters. Do your thing.”
No surprise, the boys did their best impression of elite operative snipers and set about annihilating the offensive pop cans on the rail. Well, all the boys but Levi. Passing his gun to Frank, who made it his job to give Levi the one-on-one treatment all day, Levi sidled up to the cute little blonde girl next to him and made sure she knew what she was doing first, then dove into action.
An easy smile in place and his customary toothpick nestled at the corner of his mouth, Jace ambled up beside Trevor at the corral’s fence. “You realize you’re screwed when that kid gets older, right?”
“With Levi?” Trevor scoffed and leaned his shoulders against the rails, hooking one boot heel on a lower rung. “Hell, no. That kid’s got a compass like no one I’ve ever seen.”
“Sure he does, but he’s also got smoother moves than you, which means you’re gonna have giggling little girls sniffing around nonstop in another few years.”
A few years, his ass. Levi already got three times the phone calls Trevor did. Though, Levi only seemed to care when the girl next to him called. Still, Jace had a point. A few more years and Trevor was going to have to have that serious heart-to-heart most dads approached with a mix of pride and abject terror.
A dad.
He wasn’t Levi’s yet, but he could be, assuming the rest of Levi’s special day came together right.
Beckett and Knox wandered up to join him and Jace, Beckett shaking his head and sporting an expression Trevor could only categorize as bewildered resignation. “Man, this is whacked.” He scanned the row of kids, then Axel, Zeke, Danny, and Ivan who kept an eagle-eye out for stray shooters. “If you’d have told me six months ago you’d be shacked up and throwing kiddie birthday parties, I’d have said you were fucking nuts.”
One of the doting mothers halted her none-too-covert appreciation of Axel long enough to cast Beckett a nasty look.
Knox snickered. “You might want to rein in the F-bombs for another hour or two. Natalie will skin you alive if she finds out you’re swearing around the kids.”
Beckett frowned.
Jace chuckled and clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t look so put out, brother. Last time I checked, kids aren’t contagious.”
Scoffing, Beckett tipped his head to the women pouring out of the main house’s back door. Their hands were loaded up with everything from brightly wrapped gifts and plates, to a sheet cake big enough to feed an army. “You said that about women, too. With the trend you, Zeke, and Trevor are setting, I’m thinking Haven needs to go under quarantine.”
Man, if Beckett only knew what he was missing. Standing next to Natalie and saying his vows had been, hands down, the best day of his life. The affair had been a quiet one at Natalie’s hometown church, attended only by their closest family—Haven additions included. He couldn’t have asked for anything better. Wouldn’t have believed he’d actually end up so blessed after the ugliness he’d been born into, but here he was surrounded by family, married to a beautiful woman, and so damned close to being a real dad he could taste it.
Natalie skirted the long picnic tables they’d covered with bright blue tablecloths and set about laying out paper plates for the kids. Her dress might have been all the way down to her shins, but it was flowy and the color of wheat fields ripe for harvest. He’d never seen anything sexier, especially paired with her new Luccheses and her dark hair loose around her shoulders.
She glanced up from the table, caught him staring and gifted him with a knowing smile.
Knox leaned in and muttered, “Somebody’s getting laid as soon as these kids are gone.”
“Nope,” Trevor said. “Got plans tonight with Levi and Natalie. He wants El Fenix and the new Marvel movie for his birthday night. Somewhere along the way I’m gonna give him my present.”
Beckett lowered his voice and leaned a little closer to Trevor. “That present have anything to do with the conversation we had with Wyatt Jordan a few weeks ago?”
Yeah, it did. Though, Trevor wouldn’t call it a conversation. More like a come-to-Jesus wake-up call in the form of eight men who’d put the fear of God in the Devil if they put their mind to it—the eighth man being Ivan’s first foray into justice done Haven style. Ivan had done Trevor proud, asking zero questions and backing every play without a single hesitation.
One thing was for sure—Wyatt wouldn’t be walking into any dark parking lots without a little hesitation anytime soon. Not that he got out much these days. He’d worked a plea for the drugs confiscated from his office, but had lost his license and spent most of his time trying to rebuild his reputation and a new career.
Levi lowered his pellet gun long enough to check the status of cake and ice cream, saw that all was in order and bellowed at Nat, “Mom, can we eat now?”
Guess that answered what kind of appetite all the horseback riding and shenanigans before the pellet guns worked up for a kid. Levi had been planning his shooting range for weeks, so if he was throwing in the towel this fast, the kid had to be famished.
Trevor chin-lifted toward the kids and pushed off the rail. “I think that’s our cue.”
Like the steadfast brothers they were, the guys all stuck through the party to the bitter end, even throwing in a hand to cart Levi’s loot into the house and up to his room, then pitching in on cleanup detail. None of them wanted to admit it, but they’d enjoyed themselves almost as much as Trevor had.
Four hours and a Mexican meal later, Trevor strolled along the trendy shopping area artfully disguised as a cultural gathering area, his arm wrapped around his gorgeous wife’s waist and his other hand holding Levi’s. The theater sat about a block down the stonework sidewalk, and the Saturday night moviegoers were slowly building in numbers as they meandered its direction. Their part of the sidewalk was relatively quiet, though. The wind was just brisk enough to promise a crisp spring night, and the sun was no more than thirty minutes from slipping beneath the horizon.
He squeezed Natalie’s hip, waited for her to look up and cast her a questioning look.
Her lips tipped in a soft smile. “You sure you don’t want to talk to him alone?” she whispered so Levi wouldn’t hear. “I don’t mind if you’d rather keep it between the two of you.”
Like he had a clue what he was doing. Or worse, what he was going to say. He’d tried to plan things out, but every time he played things out in his head, he ended up sidetracked racking up all the things he wanted to teach Levi as he grew up. “No.” He shook his head and hugged her a little closer. “What we do, we do together.”
To one side of the pretty thoroughfare was a vacant bench with a smattering of saplings just planted when the outdoor center opened a year ago. Trevor steered them that direction.
Stymied by the change in course, Levi du
g in his heels and frowned at the theater in the distance. “I thought we were going to the movie.”
“We are, bud.” Trevor sat on the bench and checked his watch. “Got another forty-five minutes before the previews start and reserved reclining seats right in the middle. We’ll be fine.” He motioned Levi toward him.
Natalie sat to his right and splayed her hand on his thigh, a sweet show of support he needed more than he cared to admit.
Levi sauntered over, his little boy swagger about ten times more pronounced after the he-man antics he’d shared with his friends all day. He stopped in front of Trevor and cast a curious look at his mom. “Something wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” Trevor covered Natalie’s hand with his own, took one calming breath and prayed like hell he didn’t fuck this up. “Want to talk to you about something. Something important.”
With a curt nod, Levi met Trevor’s gaze head-on, but the frown on his face said he was braced for trouble.
Trevor cleared his throat. “You remember what I told you before me and your mom got married?”
“Yes, sir.”
God, that was cute. He hadn’t let up with the sir and ma’am business since that first night he’d been to Natalie’s place, especially once he learned how much the teachers and his friends’ mothers ate it up.
“You said you loved Mom and you wanted to make her happy,” Levi added.
“Yeah, I said that, but do you remember what else?”
Levi’s brow furrowed up hard and his gaze drifted off to the side as though mentally strolling through his memories.
Taking pity on him, Trevor pushed again. “I said I loved you, too. That I wanted us to have a family. One you’d feel safe in.”
Head cocked to one side, Levi said, “Isn’t that what we’ve got?”
Natalie chuckled and ducked her head.
“Yeah, bud. We’ve got a family.” More than anything, Trevor wanted to pull Levi just a little closer. To hang on to his hand or shoulder while he said what he wanted to say, but didn’t dare for fear of making the poor kid feel pushed one way or the other. This had to be all Levi’s decision or it wouldn’t work. “The thing is, I’d like to make it more official.”
“But you’re already married.”
This time Trevor was the one to chuckle, Levi’s unvarnished innocence slaking a good chunk of the tension off Trevor’s shoulders. “That’s true. Your mom’s my wife. What I want to talk to you about is seeing how you feel about being my son.”
The first second, his face pinched in confusion. The next his eyebrows hopped high and his gaze shot to Natalie. “You mean...like for real?”
Natalie nodded. “Like for real.”
He refocused on Trevor. “How’s that work?”
“I contact some lawyers and file adoption papers. They do their thing with the judges and when the judge signs off, it’d be all official.”
He swallowed and fidgeted. “What about my dad?”
“Your dad will always be your dad. I’m not out to change that, and I’ll never try to keep you from him. Anytime you want to visit, we’ll get it set up.” So long as there were eyes on the bastard, a condition the judge had put on any future visitation for the next year. “The way I see it, you’d have two dads instead of one.”
His breath coming just a little bit faster, Levi’s eyes got bright. He pinched his mouth tight for a second, obviously fighting back tears. “You really want me?”
Fuck it.
Trevor cupped Levi’s shoulder and pulled him in for a tight hug. Damn, but he wished he could beat Wyatt all over again. That son of a bitch didn’t deserve a son like Levi. When he could finally speak, his words came out gruff and thick with emotion. “Bud, there is nothing more in this world that would make me happier than giving you my name and having the honor of calling you son.”
His face tucked against Trevor’s neck, Levi jerked a quick nod.
“That a yes?”
Levi tightened his arms around Trevor’s neck and nodded again. His quiet sniffle and the cool dampness against Trevor’s T-shirt assured Levi’s tears had won the battle.
Trevor smoothed his hand down Levi’s spine and twisted enough to meet Natalie’s gaze.
Tears trailed down her cheeks, too, but paired with her shaky smile they were the good kind, a distinction he’d finally learned to figure out in the months since she’d agreed to marry him. “I told you he’d say yes.”
She had. Countless times, usually followed by that same happy crying thing she was doing now. He’d just had a hard time believing it. He cupped the back of Levi’s head, so much pride burning through him he was pretty sure sitting through a two-hour movie was going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done. “I’m gonna have a son.”
“Yeah, you are.”
A son. He couldn’t fucking wait to get those papers turned in.
He ruffled Levi’s hair. “So, seeing as we’ve got thirty more minutes and I need to call my brothers and let ’em know they’re gonna be uncles, how do you feel about ice cream on the way to celebrate?”
In true Levi form, his head popped up, the lure of ice cream overcoming any embarrassment that came with tears. “Can I get two scoops?”
Trevor laughed loud enough it bounced off the buildings around them, the beauty and power of it mirroring the emotions swirling inside him. He stood, planted Levi firmly on his left side, and tugged Natalie to his right. Hugging them both close, he steered them to the ice cream shop dead ahead. “Son, between you and your mom, I’ve got the world now. The least I can do is spring for a double scoop.”
* * * * *
If you enjoyed Trevor and Natalie’s story, don’t miss the next installment in the HAVEN BROTHERHOOD.
Keep reading for an excerpt from TEMPTED & TAKEN.
Acknowledgments
It wasn’t until I was about one-third of the way through Trevor’s book that I realized I was up a creek and sadly lacking in horse knowledge. Thankfully, I know this awesome-sauce equine veterinarian by the name of Dr. Jennifer Mathews, who happily rushed to the rescue. Not only did she patiently correct the places I’d let Google guide me astray, she didn’t laugh once. (Though I did catch her trying to hide a smile a few times.) If I bungled anything in the final product, it’s entirely on me, but I sure hope Deuce, Peso and Titan did her suggestions justice in the end.
As for editors, can I just say that Angela James is the best? Seriously, I’d cage fight to keep her. (Though I’d prefer to hire a champion stand-in to bump my odds of winning higher. My wrestling skills aren’t what they used to be.)
And of course, I have to thank my rock-solid posse—Cori Deyoe, Juliette Cross, Kyra Jacobs, Audrey Carlan, Dena Garson and, most importantly, my amazing family. Without each of you to keep me grounded, laughing, and overflowing with love and support, I’d be utterly lost.
Also available from Rhenna Morgan
and Carina Press
Rough & Tumble
Wild & Sweet
Coming soon in 2017
Tempted & Taken
Also available from Rhenna Morgan
Unexpected Eden
Healing Eden
Waking Eden
Eden’s Deliverance
About the Author
Rhenna Morgan is a happily-ever-after addict—hot men, smart women and scorching chemistry required. A triple-A personality with a thing for lists and an almost frightening iPhone cover collection, Rhenna’s a mom to two beautiful little girls and married to an extremely patient husband who’s mastered the art of hiding the exasperated eye roll.
When she’s not neck-deep in writing, she’s probably driving with the windows down and the music up loud, plotting her next hero and heroine’s adventure. Though trolling online for man-candy inspiration on Pint
erest comes in at a close second.
She’d love to share her antics and bizarre sense of humor with you and get to know you a little better in the process. You can sign up for her newsletter and gain access to exclusive snippets, upcoming releases, fun giveaways and social media outlets at www.rhennamorgan.com.
If you enjoyed Claim & Protect, she hopes you’ll share the love with a review on your favorite online bookstore.
Introducing the Carina Press Romance Promise!
The Carina Press team all have one thing in common: we are romance readers with a longtime love of the genre. And we know what readers are looking for in a romance: a guarantee of a happily-ever-after (HEA) or happy-for-now (HFN). With that in mind, we’re initiating the Carina Press Romance Promise. When you see a book tagged with these words in our cover copy/book description, we’re making you, the reader, a very important promise:
This book contains a romance central to the plot and ends in an HEA or HFN.
Simple, right? But so important, we know!
Look for the Carina Press Romance Promise and one-click with confidence that we understand what’s at the heart of the romance genre!
Look for this line in Carina Press book descriptions:
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
Find out more at CarinaPress.com/RomancePromise.
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