Foolish Games
Page 27
“I think I’m luckier. Look at all this.” I gestured around us, to my bridal party and those gathered on the beach. So many faces that had entered my life because of my connection with Kristian. I’d said in the beginning of our relationship that he took up all the space in the room, but his love took up all the space in the world. I was full because of him, and he had stopped searching because of me. We’d found what we were looking for.
After taking a few more photos, we gathered around the top of the wooden stairs that led to the beach. Bridesmaids went first, then Breaker and I followed, one step at a time.
In the distance, I could see my man, standing and watching my every move with his brothers standing to his side. They were all so handsome in their white shirts and sand-coloured pants—well, I assumed they were all handsome. The only man I could focus on was mine. Kristian’s gaze locked with mine, a smile mirroring my own. I can’t wait to be his wife. And then I’ll be the mother of his child. Incredible.
My heart hammered in my chest, my smile so wide I could see the apple of my cheeks as we walked along the sand and up the aisle created between the fold-out chairs our guests sat on. But we could have been alone. The whole world fell away around us, and all that I could see was him, waiting eagerly.
“She’s all yours, mate,” Breaker said as he transferred my hand to Kristian’s and took a seat in the front row.
“I think she always was,” Kristian said, taking hold of both my hands and bringing them to his lips. “We’re getting married, doll.”
“Did you think this is what you’d be doing that day you chased me up those stairs after I stole your keys?”
He shook his head. “I had no clue. But, man, it’s been a wild ride so far. Ready to turn this into our greatest adventure?”
I nodded. “I will literally follow you anywhere.”
Placing his hands on either side of my face, he bent down and kissed me. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” I whispered, feeling so much calmer from his touch.
The celebrant cleared his throat. “Well, now that we’ve got the kiss out of the way, how about we move on to the vows?”
With a chuckle, we turned to face him, hands and hearts wrapped together as we delivered our vows.
Since that moment I took his car to the moment I got caught scratching it up, I’d never dreamed that a man I had such contempt for could be the salve my heart needed to feel whole again. But, he’d taken me into his life, and with every moment from that point on, he gave me light and love and purpose. Now, looking back, I was thankful for the shit that came before our story because without it, we wouldn’t have found, or needed each other. I never wanted to be apart. I had love, and it came in so many different forms. A mother-like love in Jasmine, a father-like love in Breaker. Brothers—often pains in my arse more times than not, but my God, I loved them. I’d never known how much having an elder brother rocked until I met those crazy-arsed boys. Sisters. Two women so incredible that they’d not only taken me under their wing as big sisters, but they’d included me in their tight-knit friendship.
I had family.
With so many people in my corner, not only did I not feel alone or unwanted anymore, I felt like I had purpose. Drive.
Worth.
And then there was the man in front of me. My extraordinary, sexy-as-fuck, soon-to-be husband. There were no words that would adequately express how much I loved that man. He gave me everything. Believed in me. Loved me. And I knew he’d keep loving me long after this day. Just like he’d love the baby in my belly, and any others we created in the future. Life was finally happening, and it was wonderful.
For a girl like me, it didn’t get any better than that.
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Next in the Cartwright Brothers Series, Fool’s Errand featuring Sloane and Abbot
* * *
I’m a tomboy through and through. But when the man of my dreams walks through my door, I want to be all woman. Too bad I have no idea how….
* * *
Skirts and dresses, makeup and perfume. Things that never entered my life. With my red hair and lanky body that I hid in shapeless clothes, I was just one of the guys. The ‘cool’ girl they hung out with but never dated. Not that I had time for relationships. Ever since my grandad passed, I’d been working day and night to try and salvage his failing business. I had no idea how he’d kept it afloat for so many years. His books said he had an abundance of clients, but my phone was barely ringing. I was in danger of losing the locksmith business he’d spent his lifetime building.
The he walked in.
I noticed his height first. Then his smile, his eyes, his body… Wow. I could barely think just looking at him and slipped on the grinder, sending a flash of sparks in the air. I guess you can say sparks literally flew when we locked eyes.
Except they didn’t, well, not for him. He got right down to business. He wanted my grandfather for a job. When I said he wasn’t available, he turned to leave.
Wait!
I couldn’t let him leave. I needed the work, bonus points if it meant I got to spend more time around the Adonis in front of me.
To get the job, I may have oversold my qualifications. I also may have oversold my knowledge of my grandad’s past.
You see, I only knew him as a locksmith. But it turned out, he used to be cat burglar—the fastest safe cracker in the business. I guess that explained where the money came from. I was running a front without any cash to launder.
Now, I was following his footsteps, all while pretending I knew what I was doing. I really didn’t. Thankfully Google did, and bonus, my dream guy, Abbot Cartwright was supervising my work. Downside to all this? I was pretty sure Abbot had figured out I lied my way into this job. If I didn’t get this safe open soon, I stood to lose a lot more than my business, I stood to lose my life.
Suddenly, I was wishing I knew how to bat my eyes and play the damsel in distress to get him to take pity on me and maybe let me go. But that wasn’t how the Cartwright family worked, and I already knew too much…
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Also by Lilliana Anderson
Cartwright Brothers
Fool Me Twice
Fools Rush In
Foolish Games
* * *
47 Things
47 Things
One More Thing
* * *
Standalones
In the Wind
Till There Was You
Never Again
* * *
Drawn Series
Drawn
Drawn 2 – Obsession
Drawn 2 – Redemption
* * *
Drawn to Fight
Zac & Evie
Hugo & Meg
* * *
Beautiful Series
Too Close
A Beautiful Struggle
Phoenix
A Beautiful Forever
Commitment
A Beautiful Melody
A Beautiful Rock
Devotion
A Beautiful Star
A Beautiful Taste
A Beautiful Danger
* * *
Entwined Series
Our Hearts Entwined
Our Lives Entwined
* * *
The Confidante Trilogy
Confidante: The Brothel
Confidante: The Escort
Confidante: The Madame
* * *
For more information on upcoming releases visit
www.lillianaanderson.com/preorders
About the Author
Bestselling Author of the Beautiful Series, Drawn and 47 Things, Lilliana has always loved to read and write, considering it the best form of escapism that the world has to offer.
Australian born and bred
, she writes New Adult Romance revolving around her authentically Aussie characters with all the quirks you’d expect from those born Down Under.
Lilliana feels that the world should see Australia for more than just it's outback and tries to show characters in a city and suburban setting.
When she isn't writing, she wears the hat of 'wife and mother' to her husband and five children.
Before Lilliana turned to writing, she worked in a variety of industries and studied humanities and communications before transferring to commerce/law at university.
Originally from Sydney's Western suburbs, she currently lives a fairly quiet life in suburban Melbourne.
For more information on Lilliana and her work:
www.lillianaanderson.com
info@lillianaanderson.com
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Acknowledgments
AS ALWAYS, there are people to be thanked! Many sets of eyes go in to the creation of each of my books and I am very grateful to every person who takes time out of their lives to help me.
To Tammie Lee, Cyndi Hart-Duplessis, Marissa Burns and Julie Chippendale, thank you so much for beta reading and giving me excellent feedback to work with. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your sage advice. To my editor, Marion Archer, I thank you all for your keen editing eyes and funny comments. Margaret Neal, Mel Williams and Lisa May, thank you for helping to proof the final copy—hopefully we got them all!
To my team of sharers, you’re all so wonderful. I don’t ask you to do what you do, but you see something I post and share it far and wide. I’m eternally grateful. Thank you all so much. I love you all!
To every blogger and reviewer who has an ARC or has signed up to post about my book – I thank you too. You are the first step to announcing my work to the world. No author can do this without you xoxox
Also, a big thank you to my husband for putting up with my bitching and moaning and his unending support and encouragement.
Thank you to my kids for being so patient while I stare at a computer screen and finish typing out a thought. I love that you all come and sit with me while I work just to spend a bit of extra time with mummy!
And of course – thank you to all of my readers. You are the most important of all. Without you, I would be writing to the crickets.
Mwah! xoxox