Finding Forever (Meet the McIntyres Book 5)

by Rebecca Barber

  Without saying a word, I forced her knees apart and tugged her panties to the side, not giving her any warning before burying my face between her thighs.

  “Holy fuck, Connor,” Zoe whimpered as I devoured her. Fuck, she was wet. When I added a finger to the mix, she arched her back off the bed. “More. I need…more.” Adding another finger, I knew she was getting close. The way she clamped down had me eating like it was my last meal.

  Lifting my face was torture, but I needed her to keep it down. The door wasn’t locked, and the house was filled with family. Tonight would be different, though. I had plans for Zoe, and then she could scream until she lost her voice. Well, that was the idea, anyway.

  “Zoe, you need to keep it down.”

  “Connor,” she growled scarily, and I took the hint, diving back in.

  My phone beeped again, and I knew I was running out of time. Reaching down, I adjusted the hard-on trying to make an escape from my black slacks and picked up the pace. When my thumb brushed over her clit, Zoe screamed as she almost levitated off the bed. One thing I’d learnt about pregnant Zoe. She was horny as hell and it was as easy as pushing a button to have her explode.

  Leaving her where she lay, panting on our bed looking sinfully satisfied, I grabbed one of the t-shirts from the dirty laundry pile and cleaned her up best I could. Settling her panties back in place, I kissed her mound and her fingers clawed at my hair. It did nothing to ease the throbbing in my pants. Dragging me up her body, I kissed her deeply.

  “Feel better?”

  “Mmmm,” she mumbled sleepily.

  Finding my feet, I pulled her up. “Now, we need to get you dressed.” After helping her into her dress and zipping it up, I took a good look at her. Zoe was stunning. Every day, every year, she got more and more beautiful. I was a very lucky man.

  My phone beeped again, and I wanted to throw it out the window.

  “You better check that,” Zoe told me as she shuffled over to the chest of drawers and added jewellery.

  Finding my forgotten phone on the floor, I checked the messages.

  Ryan: We have a plan.

  Ryan: Where the fuck are you?

  Gage: Connor! Get down here, you ass!

  Yeah yeah. They could be pissed at me all they liked, but that was the best ten minutes of my day.

  Turning back to Zoe, I saw her staring at herself in the mirror, fidgeting with her dress as it hugged every delicious curve she had. Moving behind her, I pushed aside her hair and trailed kisses across her exposed shoulder. “You’re beautiful. And I love you. Now, are you ready to go down and get this over with?”

  “Do I have to? Can’t I just stay here?” she pouted, and I had to fight the urge to throw her back on our bed and fuck her until we were both too exhausted to move.

  “Come on.” Taking her hand, I opened our bedroom door and led her down the stairs and into the kitchen where my brothers were gathered.

  “I’m going to go check on Lachlan.” With a kiss on my cheek, she vanished, and I turned to face my brothers, who all wore matching knowing expressions.

  “Oh, fuck off.”

  “Have fun?” Beau asked.

  “Wouldn’t you?” I wasn’t going to let these bastards beat me.

  “Okay! Enough of that. Connor, we have an idea.”

  “You have an idea,” Gage corrected.

  “Fine! It was my idea, but it only works if we’re all in.”

  “And you guys are already in?” I asked, directing my question at Gage and Beau, who both nodded quickly. “Count me in.”

  “Don’t you want to know what you’re agreeing to?”

  “Yeah. I suppose you better tell me.”

  Ten minutes later a woman appeared at the top of the stairs who stole my breath. She looked like an angel. Beside me, Mum was sobbing, and Holly’s beaming smile reached in and squeezed my heart. The girl who’d gone through hell. The one who’d had to fight tooth and nail to get her life back was about to marry her prince charming.

  “What are you lot all looking at?”

  “You’re beautiful,” Ryan spat out before anyone else had a chance to say anything. He wasn’t wrong though. She was stunning.

  With handfuls of her skirt, she floated down the stairs and stood in front of us. With a nonchalant shrug, Holly said, “It’s time.”

  My mouth was dry. She had no idea what we were about to do, and all I could hope was she wouldn’t be mad.

  “Come on, Mum, I’ll help you find your seat.” Gage offered her his arm. After kissing Holly’s cheek, he led Mum from the room.

  A simple nod from Beau was all it took, and Ryan and I were heading out the door into the backyard, which was full of people waiting patiently. As I opened the door, I heard Holly ask what Beau was doing. In typical Beau style, he threw it out casually, “Walking you down the aisle.”

  Not giving Holly a chance to argue, Ryan and I bolted. We knew what was about to go down. Holly might have thought she did, in reality, she had no idea. Only last night we’d talked about it over dinner and Holly had been adamant she was okay with going it alone. That was never going to happen. Not on our watch, anyway.

  I’d barely gotten to my spot at the top of the aisle and buried my hands in my pockets when my fingers wrapped around the tiny gift waiting there. The music started, and Holly appeared, Beau clasping her arm. She looked absolutely beautiful. Like a princess.

  When they made their way to where I was standing, I took a breath and tried not to cry. If I was this emotional walking my sister down the aisle, I was screwed if my daughter ever asked.

  “Wh-what’s happening?” Holly asked as Beau unlatched her arm from his and placed her hand in mine.

  “My turn.” It was as if at my words, Holly realised what was happening. She looked up and spied both Gage and Ryan waiting for their turn.

  “Connor.”

  “I have something for you.” Taking the bracelet from my pocket, I slipped it around her wrist. The gold shimmering in the afternoon sun still wasn’t as bright as Holly’s smile. “Something new.”

  With the music playing, I walked Holly the few steps down the rose petal-covered grass before handing her over to Gage, who was waiting with tears in his eyes. “Thanks.”

  Gage passed her Grandma’s embroidered lace handkerchief, and Holly threw herself into his arms. I heard the oohs and aahs behind me, but it didn’t really register. The only thing I could focus on was Holly. After placing a quick kiss on her cheek, I whispered in her ear, “go get your happily ever after,” I moved off and found my seat next to Zoe.

  When she took hold of my hand, I wiped away the tear rolling down my cheek as Gage made the final handover to Ryan. No one else knew what was happening when Ryan handed her a blue orchid and she dropped his arm and all sense of propriety and threw herself against him. Even though the music had ended, no one was in a hurry.

  Standing with the celebrant, waiting for his bride, Caleb shifted his weight. Poor bastard looked like he was about to hurl. I knew from experience this was the hardest part. Watching the love of your life float towards you, and we’d made him suffer by delaying her.

  Sitting behind me was Jack Reynolds. The guy who’d helped Holly when she’d most needed him. Although they didn’t work out, they’d remained great friends. I was worried when Holly had insisted on inviting him, but seeing him sitting there with his very pregnant fiancée Aleen, it just felt right. Holly was right, it wouldn’t have been the same without him here.

  The day went by so quickly. After the ceremony and Carly trying to blind us with her camera, the barbeque was cooked, the cake was cut, and I found myself sitting on the grass with Zoe leaning against me, yawning loudly. While we enjoyed a quiet minute, Mum was in her element chasing the grandkids. For some reason, one I’m sure she’d live to regret later, she’d volunteered to babysit all the grandkids tonight. Neither Beau nor I turned that offer down. In fact, I had big plans for my night.

  “Guys.” Holly appeared. She’d di
tched the veil and the heels, replacing them with her favourite sneakers as she plopped down on the blanket beside us.

  “Hey. Having a good day?”

  “The best! Thank you.”

  “For what?” Ryan snuggled into Alex. It’d taken a bit of getting used to, seeing them affectionate, but after the twentieth break up, it was just something I got used to. I guess we all did.

  “Everything. Today was everything I’d ever dreamed of. You guys did an amazing job.”

  “Any time, sis,” Beau replied, ruffling her hair.

  “Hey, hands off my wife,” Caleb taunted.

  Holly may be the one changing her last name today, but she’d always be one of us. He might not know it yet, but Caleb had just become a McInytre.

  “Speaking of hands on your wife…Zoe, would you please come with me?”

  I stood up before helping Zoe to her feet. She looked wary, but when her hand touched mine I knew we were going to have fun. Leading her away from the dying party, we slipped unnoticed out the back gate to the waiting four-wheeler.

  “Connor! I have a dress on! I can’t get on that!”

  “Why?”

  “Someone will see my knickers!”

  “Only me!” I silenced her with a kiss that left no room for her to misread my intentions. When I pulled back, she couldn’t climb on the back of the four-wheeler quick enough. Not bothering to waste any time, I jumped on and fired it up.

  Less than ten minutes later we pulled up outside the cabin where Carly had once lived. These days it was used as a guest house and Mum usually stayed there. But tonight, out here, far away from everything and everyone, I had plans to make my wife scream.

  Helping her off, I plucked the gold G-string I’d changed into out of my ass. It was the only one I’d kept from my stripping days, and tonight, I was performing one last show. For Zoe’s eyes only.

  Before I could move though, I was grabbed by the tie and dragged through the door by my very hungry, very horny wife.

  Life was good.

  Tough.

  But good.

  It’d taken a while to get there, but Zoe had given me everything I’d ever wanted and things I didn’t even know I did.

  We’d gotten our happily ever afters.

  Also by Rebecca

  Swimming Upstream Series

  Perfection is just an Illusion

  Nobody’s Obligation

  On Dry Land

  Finding Your Place Series

  Coming Home

  Running Away

  Believing Again

  Meet the McIntyres Series

  Taking Charge

  Picturing Perfect

  Fighting Back

  Breaking Free

  Finding Forever

  Standalones

  Nobody Knows

  Acknowledgements

  Saying goodbye is never easy and even to those pesky McIntyres who drove me crazy at times, I’ve come to love them like they’re a part of me.

  To Karenya, Alicia, Robin, Marnie, Margaret, Kathryn, Lizzie and everyone else who fought, argued, bitched and moaned. For all your tantrums and threats as you demanded Zoe get the happily ever after she deserved, I hope this book is everything you wanted it to be. Torturing her was just so much fun.

  Kathryn – you did it again. You made everything pretty and got my ass organised when it was the last thing I wanted to do. I would’ve jumped off the crazy train of Indie publishing long ago without you in my corner.

  Lizzie – thank you for being my sounding board on this one. There are parts of this story which almost broke me and for a minute I considered deleting but you assured me I was doing the right thing even if it was hard.

  Robin, Margaret & Marnie – you ladies are the world’s best pimps and the best team a girl could ask for to have her back. Thank you for putting up with me and never saying no!

  Thank you to the Bella reader group – you give me a safe place to crash when I needed a moment to just fall apart and you pick me back up (especially with all the Scott Eastwood man candy you supply…keep it coming!)

  For my family, especially the strongest woman I’ve ever known, my Mum. You gave me the courage to do this. I doubt myself almost hourly, but you never have, and I can’t imagine a time you ever will. You inspire me with your own unique brand of crazy and sometimes I want to strangle you, but you’re my crazy family and I wouldn’t trade you for the world.

  And Robert. Thank you for giving me everything I need. You’ve been my shoulder to cry on, you’ve picked me up when I’ve fallen, and you’ve given me a brand-new bookshelf to display all my hard work. You’re my person.

  But mostly, thank you to you. If you’ve read all the McIntyre books you know it’s been a long-complicated road for them, but in the end, they all got everything they ever wanted. Thanks for reading.

  So I guess this is goodbye from the entire McIntyre clan.

  … or is it???

  About the Author

  I’m just me. A clumsy, introverted, bubble bath loving, chocoholic who would rather read a book than go shopping. And god forbid if you try and make me shoe shop!

  I’m one of four kids to school teacher parents. A wife to a football obsessed husband. Mother to a fur-baby who isn’t aware of how big he is. Aunt to the most crazy/adorable little girls. And sister to two very determined sisters and one easy going brother.

  I live in Canberra Australia and work too many hours a day at my day job.

  I’m a book whore who can easily (and happily) read a book from start to finish in a day and when I do have spare time, you’ll find me in the writing cave.

  Stay Connected with Rebecca

  Website:

  www.rebeccabarberauthor.com

  Facebook Page:

  Barber’s Bellas

  Instagram:

  @RebeccaBarber7

  Twitter:

  @RebeccaBarber7