“You just had ten grand lying around?”
I shrug. I used up every last dime of my savings.
She doesn’t need to know that, though.
“Look. Dagny.” I say her nickname with a growl. I press her body up against the window, the rain pouring down, and the Gods bringing the thunder.
Her mouth hangs slightly open. She’s gazing up at me, and I know I’m winning.
“You don’t want to be with me because you don’t want to get your heart broken again. I get it.”
She closes her eyes and nods, leaning into my chest with her forehead. Still, she says nothing.
“Fine. If that’s the way you feel, I can’t change that. But I’m going to fucking be there for you, Haley. I don’t give a shit if I’m calling you Haley or Dagny or whatever. It doesn’t matter. I don’t know how the hell you walked into my shop and into my life, but I’ve been feeling things since I met you that make me wonder who the hell I am and where the old Liam has gone. But you know what, I like the new Liam better. He’s still an asshole, sure. But he’s a damn asshole in love with a girl. So that’s it. All the cards on the table. I fucking love you, Haley Rosebaum.”
She wraps her arms tight around my back and pulls herself into me. “You do?” She sniffles.
“Yeah,” I say. “Although I’d love to give you a new nickname sometime soon.”
“What name is that?” She asks, looking up at me.
“Mrs. Blackwell.” I grin.
She licks her lips, and it’s all the opening I need.
Pinning her against the wall, I attack her with a ravenous desire I’ve never even felt before. Hell, this is surpassing desire. This is need.
She crumbles under my touch in a way I’ve never felt before.
Where during our first magical hookup in the truck, I could feel the tension coursing through her soul as if she was trying to one up me every step of the way, now she softens under my touch.
I respond by kissing her soft lips delicately, lightly running my rough hands on the outside of her shirt, barely pressing into her skin.
We make out like that for the next hour, while the thunder booms and lightning flashes.
I know I’m the big one between the two of us. I’ve always been a giant. I might as well be twice her size.
But next to her, it feels like she’s the one protecting me.
After some time, the rain eases up to a drizzle, and we let each other go.
“You want to know something crazy?”
I nod. “Crazy is as crazy does.”
“I think I love you too, Liam.” She says.
My heart swells, and as corny as the thought that goes through my mind is, I have to admit I think it.
This feels like fucking true love.
Six months later
Chapter Twenty-Four
Haley
My grandmother, before she passed, used to always say, marry a small town man, and give him a chance to prove himself.
I never understood what she meant, until I met Liam.
I’d held over his head the fact that, as a young man, he met and got his heart broken by my own sister.
How was he supposed to know that years later he’d fall in love with me? Was that his fault?
Yet, when I found out, I was prepared to hold it over his head forever.
Maybe the way we met isn’t the way couples should normally court.
I didn’t follow any of the standard dating advice, when it came to Liam.
But, when a sexy mechanic starts making out with you in his truck, there’s no playbook for that.
After the morning my life changed with the news of not one, but two beautiful new souls being brought into the world, Liam changed too.
Sure, he’s still the same asshole who seduced me on the first night.
Whose sexy good looks and cocky as hell attitude I couldn’t say no to.
Who gave me more orgasms consecutively than I thought was physically possible.
At the time, being honest, he was nothing more than a rebound who I was trying to use to get past my own broken heart.
But in these past six months, the Blackwell winter has already come and gone, and Liam has come to be nothing short of a miracle for me.
I’ve moved into his big, colonial style house, and he’s been doing all of the heavy lifting to get the place ready for the babies. We’ve got their room painted baby blue--not because it’s gender neutral but because it’s the color of my beautiful eyes, Liam says.
We’re not married yet. We’re going to wait and make sure it’s right for both of us and not rush into anything.
But I’ve started wearing that ring he gave me again. I never lost it. And I can’t wait to go by Mrs. Blackwell.
One March evening, I rock myself on the swing on the porch of our house, sitting there, hand on my tummy, reading a book. The smell of spring flowers wafts through the air, more specifically the blue bonnets that Liam transplanted into our front garden.
“Hi Miss Haley!” A girl waves as she walks by on her way home from the high school.
“Hi Emma!” I wave back. “Good track practice today?”
“Yes! I’m gonna be the fastest this year. When are the new kids on the block coming?”
“Due in a few weeks!”
“Yes!” She pumps her fist. “I love babies!”
I laugh a little and she walks on.
I’ve already met what feels like half the town in less than a year of living here. It helps that Liam is apparently the most connected man in all of Blackwell, which sort of makes sense, given that his great grandparents founded the town.
I hear Liam’s truck engine from a block away. I’m like a puppy who knows what something is from hearing before sight.
A few seconds later, Liam pulls in the driveway and jumps down out of the cab. He’s got a big, silly grin on his face, and I can’t help but beam too.
“Hey baby.” He drawls in a deep voice.
“Hey you.” I say back, with that slight southern twang. Yeah, I’ve officially picked up the Blackwell small town accent after being back here for almost a year.
He kisses me long and deep on the lips, then sits down next to me on the porch swing and rubs my stomach. “How are the twins doing?”
“Bigger every day.” I grin. “Here, feel them.”
I take hold of his hands and put them on my boobs. “See. The twins are getting bigger.”
He cracks up. “Now see, this is why I love you baby.”
“For my big boobs?”
He winks. “Yeah. Exactly. And maybe your sense of humor too. Probably more the boobs though, if we’re being totally honest. Those things have never been so motorboat-able.”
I break into laughter, a big, belly laugh. I can hear the echos of my own voice reverberating over the block. Liam starts laughing too, and before we know it, we’re in one of those uncontrollable bouts of laughter where we can’t stop. I smile even bigger, thinking how impossible this scene would be in New York, had I stayed there, and before I know it, I’m laughing so hard I’m getting teary eyed.
Finally, we control ourselves. “You know, I’m kinda glad we did things in reverse.” I say.
“What do you mean, in reverse?”
“In a normal relationship, you go on some dates, get to know a person, have sex, get married, have children. For us, the order was ‘sex-get pregnant-get to know each other. And God willing, we’ll get married at some point.”
Liam interlocks his fingers into mine and runs his hand on my ring finger. “Unless you run away, I’ll be locking you down as soon as you let me.”
“I don’t think I’ll be “running” anywhere any time soon.” I joke, rubbing my tummy. “More like waddle.”
We break into laughter again, and suddenly, I feel like a water balloon popped inside me and I grunt.
“What is that?” Liam asks, scrunching up his face.
I feel a large gush of water from inside me, and I grip my
stomach. Liam puts his hand on top of mine.
“Oh my gosh.” I say. “I think my water broke.”
Liam nods slowly, taking a moment to process the information. “You...think..your...water...broke?”
My jaw hanging open, I nod. “Yes.”
He swings into swift action, grabbing the emergency bag from inside I had made for just this situation, and then helps me into the truck.
He drives swiftly but carefully to the hospital, and helps me out of the truck and to the maternity wing.
“Hello.” He says calmly to the secretary once we enter. “My wi--my girlfriend is pregnant.”
“Wife,” I correct. “Wife.” I show them my ring. I need to make sure they don’t give Liam any problems getting into the maternity ward.
“Oh, that’s right.” Liam plays along. “Silly me. I keep forgetting we finally tied the knot.”
I playfully roll my eyes, and then a gut wrenching pain hits my stomach and my sense of humor dissipates. “So are you going to show us to the maternity ward?”
“I’m paging the doctor right now.” The secretary says calmly.
They walk us to the room and set me up on a bed as the contractions begin.
Liam scrubs his hands and heads inside.
The pain isn’t so bad at first, but it’s scary as the doctor explains to me what all is about to happen. Since I have twins, they’ll be performing a C-section.
Liam sits at my side, holding my hand. He doesn’t get up to eat or drink.
I don’t remember too many details aside from Liam and the epidural that eases my pain. And then, after less than an hour the first one pops out.
I hear the pitter patter of rain on the outside window.
I don’t know if rain has become some kind of divine intervention for Liam and I, but as the drizzle starts, the first baby comes, a boy. He starts to cry, and it’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.
A few minutes or so later, the second one comes, a girl.
“Congratulations, you two are parents!” The doctor tells us. Liam holds one of them in each arm, and they look so damn small next to his massive body.
“Damn, these little guys are tiny!” Liam exclaims, and I’m too tired to laugh.
“Of course they’re tiny, they’re babies,” I say, a little groggy.
“Did you decide on names?” One of the nurses ask.
Liam and I make eye contact and nod.
“Corinne Marie Blackwell is the girl.” I say.
“And Ethan James Blackwell is the boy.”
After kissing each of them softly on the head, he sets little Corinne and Ethan back against my chest. They both nuzzle slightly before relaxing and dozing back off.
Liam snaps a picture of me with one in each arm.
He kisses my cheek, then holds my hand as I fall asleep in an ecstatic exhaustion.
This is the best end to a steamy one night stand a girl could hope for.
This book goes out to all of my awesome author friends for their support. To my patient PA.
But mostly, to all of my favorite fans for being supportive of my work. You know who you are, and you all rock so hard.
I can’t wait to meet you all in the upcoming years at all of the romance writer/reader conferences across the nation!
Also by Mickey Miller
Blackwell After Dark Small Town Series
Professor with Benefits
Sports Romances Series - Ballers
Playing Dirty
The Casanova Experience
Mickey Miller books cowritten with Holly Dodd:
Dirty CEO
Hotblooded Prizefighter
Subscribe here to my email list here. I send out a free short story every Friday! http://eepurl.com/cjHaxD
As a bonus, because I was in a celebratory mood when I wrote this, I am including my novel The Casanova Experience as a bonus for a limited time. Enjoy!
The Casanova Experience
By Mickey Miller
A bonus novel
Prologue
Amy
“Last call, flight two-zero-two, direct from Chicago to Barcelona.”
I stared at my ticket, eyes unfocused. What did it even matter anymore? Every guy I dated was a total dick. That was just my fate in life: to date dicks. For me, “the one” was an elusive myth best relegated to corny rom-coms. Why did I even care if I went to Barcelona?
Even if I met another guy, he’d probably cheat on me.
Sorry. I know I probably sound bitter. But after you walk in on your boyfriend getting blown by his manager at the bar where he works, you go into a bit of a phase, to put it lightly.
“Miss, excuse me, Miss?” a polite but firm voice spoke in front of me.
I shook myself out of my daze. “Yes?”
“Your ticket. It’s for Barcelona. This is the last call. Are you going to board?”
I swallowed, turned my chin up, and took a deep breath. “Yes. I’m boarding.”
The attendant took my ticket, scanned it, and handed it back to me with a puzzled look.
“Good, the doors will be closing as soon as you get on.”
On the flight, I waltzed past the first class section to the back of the plane. A young girl stopped me before I reached my seat, reaching out her arm to mine.
“Amy!” she exclaimed. A smile broached my face. The adorable creature was maybe eight years old, and sat next to her mom.
“Jenna! I didn’t think I would see you again.”
“I knew I would see you again,” she responded. Her dimples shown deeply when she smiled.
I blushed. I’d only read to her in Spanish for ten minutes while we were waiting to board the plane. I forgot how much even the smallest gestures meant to little kids sometimes.
“Thanks for reading me that book in Spanish. I feel better about going to Barcelona now.”
I laughed. “It’s no big deal. Trust me.”
“How do you know Spanish though?” she put her arm on me and furrowed her brow. “You’re American.”
Her mom smiled at me. I didn’t feel the need to explain to this first time traveler that Spanish was a language spoken by at least sixty million Americans. She’d learn with time. Her world was still small.
I put my hand on the little girl’s shoulder. “I lived in Spain when I was in college, honey. You can learn any language you want, no matter what. You just have to study hard and not give up.”
“Really?” Her eyes bubbled up. “Can I? Mom, can I even learn Spanish if I want?”
Her mom looked a little surprised at the question. “Of course you can, honey.”
The flight attendant was staring me down, surely wishing I would take my seat. “I’m going to head to my seat in the back, have a safe flight Jenna!”
“Bye Amy!”
Her voice was so bubbly, it put a smile on my face as I found my seat toward the back of the airplane. I found my window seat and stared out onto the runway as the attendants ran through the safety protocol.
Thinking about how much I’d loved reading to Jenna in the airport, my mind drifted to kids.
I loved them, but I wasn’t ready for them. Maybe someday. Not today. Let’s be honest, at the rate I was going, I was probably not ever going to have a stable, lasting boyfriend to raise a family with. My last cheating boyfriend was only the latest in years of failed relationships. Although the sports marketing company that my coworker Andrea and I founded was booming, my personal life was in shambles.
I smirked slightly, finding a little solace in the fact that, somewhere, deep in my heart, I knew I didn’t want to be with my ex. He was an okay guy--don’t get me wrong. But real talk, he was barely an inch taller than me, little Amy. I’m just over five feet. And he didn’t like to read! What kind of guy says no to books?!
We lifted off the ground in Chicago and smoothly sailed into the sky above. After we leveled out, the staff came by asking if we wanted anything to drink.
“Gin and Tonic please.�
�� The stewardess moved swiftly to dole me out my drink. The guy next to me leaned out of the way and let her hand the plastic cup to me.
I took a sip, and then I took another longer sip through my straw. I was on an empty stomach, so the buzz hit me in a few minutes. It felt good.
I swept my brown hair behind my head and stuck my forehead against the cold airplane window of the jumbo jet, looking out into the black of the night sky.
Through the haze of my buzz, I thought about a man I used to know. He was the one I pushed away years ago, because I was afraid he’d become the same as all the other crappy men in my life.
“Chandler, where are you now?” I said aloud. I’d been just a girl when I met him--barely twenty. Now I was five years older and had my own company. Yet still, when I fantasized and let my mind drift off about who I’d love to have kids with, his frame popped into the picture.
I wondered if I would ever see him again. Sure, he was an asshole like all the others. But I’d never met a man quite as honest as him or as sexy.
A surge of adrenaline came over me just thinking about him. I hadn’t been back to Barcelona in five years. I doubted he ever even thought of me anymore. I was probably just another notch on his belt--except I was one he never got to mark off.
Yet something bothered me about the way we’d left our friendship. I never really gave him a chance to prove himself. Because wherever Chandler went, he was known for leaving a trail of broken hearts. As good of a lover as he was, the man never committed. Not to anyone. What would make me so special that I could tame him?
I ordered another Gin and Tonic from the stewardess when she came back, sank back into my chair, and closed my eyes. My memory drifted to when I’d first met him, and how my silly crush on him had begun.
Mechanic with Benefits Page 18
