Wild Forces: A Friends to Lovers Romance (O-Town Book 2)

by Karen Renee

  “Where are we going?”

  He grinned. “Just wait and see, honey.”

  After another ten minutes, he pulled his new Ford Explorer into a parking lot for a local winery.

  I shot him a confused look. “You don’t even like wine that much.”

  He chuckled. “C’mon, Daughtry.”

  We walked into a small shop, and a clerk behind the counter told us they were closing soon.

  “Mr. Huntley called Mr. Rockwell about us,” Gabe said with a smile.

  The clerks eyes widened. “Oh. So sorry. Yes, just walk down this hall, the elevator is on your right.”

  Gabe wrapped an arm around my shoulders and guided us down the hall.

  “What is going on, Gabe?” I asked when we stopped by the elevator.

  “Patience, baby,” he muttered, as he nuzzled my neck.

  In the elevator, Gabe pressed the button for the third floor, and I wondered how he knew which floor he wanted. Keeping his request for ‘patience’ in mind, I held my tongue. The doors opened onto the roof.

  Gabe grabbed my hand and guided me to a table set up in the middle of an open space. The bistro-style table held two bottles of wine, a charcuterie board, and a stemmed Pilsner glass with rashers of bacon inside it.

  “Gabe, what on earth—”

  He chuckled. “Don’t get impatient on me now, Daughtry. Took a lot of doing for all this to happen. So, enjoy, okay?”

  I pressed my lips together as I fought a smile. “Okay.”

  He pulled my chair out for me, and I sat down. He moved his chair closer to mine, and then I realized we weren’t completely alone. A small stage was to our left, and I could see and hear the quartet of musicians were preparing to perform.

  “How did you—”

  He cut me off again, but this time with a finger to my lips. “Relax, Cassie. And listen to the music.”

  I wanted to bounce in my seat because anytime Gabe played music for me it excited me, but for him to have arranged live music... this would be the ultimate treat. My reaction did not go unnoticed.

  “Yeah. I think you’re gonna like this, baby.”

  Gabe looked to the stage and threw his chin up dramatically. The piano player started and immediately I stiffened in my chair as the distinct sounds of “Blue Rondo ala Turk” filled the air.

  Oblivious to my reaction, Gabe leaned forward and grabbed the glass holding the bacon. “Candied bacon?”

  “Why this song?”

  He set the glass down, and cupped my cheek. “Honey, it’s how we met. Not the most ideal circumstances, but we both appreciate the hell out of this song.”

  I exhaled, realizing I was overreacting.

  Gabe grabbed one of the bottles of wine, but asked, “Red or white, Cassandra?”

  I deliberated for a moment. “White.”

  “A fine choice,” he said, as if he were a waiter. He grabbed a glass and turned his body a little as he poured.

  “You are such a goof,” I muttered.

  He handed me the glass. “You love me?”

  With the glass half-way to my lips, I dipped my chin at him. “Like you even have to ask.”

  I took a sip, surprised at how sweet the wine was, but when I went to set the glass down, a red velvet box sat there. The box was open and a stunning engagement ring sparkled back at me.

  My breath caught because the ring was better than anything I would’ve picked out for myself. The main focus was the round diamond in the center, but it was surrounded by smaller diamonds in an art-deco inspired setting. I put my wine glass down next to the box, and looked at Gabe.

  He grabbed my hand, and I realized he’d dropped to one knee. “I was going to wait for this part until they got to ‘Blue Monk’ on the playlist, but I forgot how impatient you can be, Cassie-Cass. So, uh, I never told you, but Dad says Monk beats Brubeck.”

  I felt my eyes widen, and Gabe chuckled. “Yeah. I was pretty floored myself, Daughtry.” He cleared his throat. “Some might say we haven’t been together that long, but I would argue we’ve been together a long damn time. Which means, it’s past time for me to make you a Sullivan.” He slipped the ring from the box and I saw his fingers were shaking as he slid it onto my ring finger. “Will you marry me, Cassandra Ivy?”

  I looked up from my hand, and asked, “Are you crazy?”

  Gabe

  THAT WAS NOT THE REACTION I expected. My stomach twisted with nerves, but I powered through it. “You bet I am. I’m crazy about you, Daughtry.”

  She leaned forward to cup my cheeks. “Like you had to ask! Of course I’ll marry you, Gabe,” she cried and kissed me so hard I couldn’t take over her kiss.

  When she finally came up for air, her eyes were watery. “How long have you been planning this, Gabe?”

  I shrugged as I took my seat. “Beast - better known as Mr. Huntley to the people around here - mentioned how much Janie loves this place. I knew we’d be up this way, and I thought it would be a great spot to pop the question because you wouldn’t be expecting it.”

  She laughed, and it sounded better than the music.

  “You definitely caught me off-guard.”

  I smiled and kissed her again.

  The quartet moved onto “Blue Monk,” and she smiled. “Is this your way of admitting that ‘Blue Monk’ won?”

  I shook my head. “No, baby. It’s my way of saying, I love the way you think and I’ll never get tired of debating music with you.”

  Her eyes suddenly narrowed. “You aren’t trying to get married before Brock, are you? Cecilia told me they’re nowhere near marriage discussions.”

  I chuckled. “I can be very competitive, you’re right. But this has nothing to do with my brother. Besides, you never know. Brock might be closer to popping the question to her than even Cecilia realizes.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really?”

  I dipped my chin. “Yeah, but do not tell my father. He loves the idea of a double wedding, and I am not down with that.”

  She gasped. “You’re joking. No, I know you aren’t because that sounds exactly like Warren. Besides, I’m the new girl at work. I doubt I can get time off for a honeymoon and stuff for quite a while.”

  I sipped some wine before I lowered my face toward hers. “I almost forgot about the honeymoon. You better not spend more than a year planning this thing.”

  “Or what?” she asked with a devious smile.

  I grinned. “Or I will drag your ass down to the courthouse if you do.”

  Her eyebrow arched. “That might not be a bad idea.”

  My head reared back. “I didn’t hear you right, Daughtry.”

  She grinned. “You sure did. My mother would not approve, and that alone would make a for a nice day.”

  I cocked my head at those words. “No, Cassandra. I may not know much, but I damn sure know your wedding day should be far better than a ‘nice day.’ And to be blunt, I never want to hear you tell me to have a nice day again. It’s the same damn thing you said to me—”

  Her finger covered my lips. Her face came closer. “Say no more, Gabriel. Every day with you is the best, and I can’t wait to spend a lifetime of days with you.”

  The O-Town Series will continue with Clint and Raegan’s story.

  Read on for the first chapter of their story...

  Chapter One

  Finest Things

  Raegan

  AS I STOOD IN MOM’S farm-style kitchen, a chill slithered up my spine and I swung my head to the door when I heard a key scraping into the lock. It was lunchtime, and I was preparing a tomato sandwich for my seventy-one-year-old mother. As quietly as I could, I put the butter knife down and grabbed the butcher knife out of the block.

  Edging to the laundry room, next to the back door, I waited with the knife up and at the ready.

  This might seem like overkill, but my sister, Bronwyn, had been murdered six days ago. The authorities were still investigating. They said it looked like an accident. I didn’t buy it, and not bec
ause I read murder mysteries like most people binge watch Netflix. So in my mind, there was no telling who the hell was walking into Mom’s home.

  The door opened, and I exhaled loudly when I saw the man standing in the doorway.

  The last time I saw Clint Ramsey, he had no facial hair, kept his hair as close-cropped to his head as he could without shaving it bald, and he wore a police uniform. Now, he’d let his jet-black hair grow out more and his angular jaw had the dark shadow of two-day’s worth of stubble.

  His arms had bulked up more in the past ten years, too, seeing as his white dress shirt strained against his biceps. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. I didn’t know for sure, but my guess was that he spent far more time outdoors these days because his thick forearms looked more bronze than olive.

  My mouth went dry, and I swallowed.

  His voice still sounded smooth and controlled. “Shoulda known you’d be here. What’s with the knife?”

  My eyes widened. “‘What’s with the knife?’ Really? I didn’t know who the hell was coming in here. I could’ve stabbed you, Clint Ramsey!”

  His eyes raked up and down my face and body. Then his lips quirked up, his head tilted back, and he had the gall to laugh.

  He was laughing... at me, the jerk!

  “I’m serious, Clint. I could have stabbed you.”

  He righted his head, and those rich brown eyes caught mine. “Rae, I’d have disarmed you in seconds. That’s why it’s so damn funny. And who else would have a key?”

  I cocked my head to the side a touch. “Maybe the bastard who killed my sister?”

  He went silent.

  “And don’t call me Rae. You lost that ten years ago.”

  His jaw clenched. “No. You left me ten years ago.”

  I didn’t leave him, seeing as he’d told me to go and to follow my dreams. But I didn’t have time for an argument we’d had plenty of times in the past.

  I put my free hand on my hip. “And you’re here why?”

  The tell-tale sound of my mom’s walker on the wood floors came closer to us. In a moment she entered the room, her eyes narrowed on Clint. “I want your nuts.”

  My eyes widened and I stared at Mom standing there in her housedress and terry-cloth flip-flop-style slippers.

  I looked back to Clint to ask what this was all about, but the tender look on his face made my heart leap. “Stocked you up, Penny. I’ll fix you a bowl in a moment.”

  Mom shuffled away, and I hissed at Clint. “You’re the reason her blood pressure won’t go down, aren’t you?”

  He looked down at me with a fire in his eyes I hadn’t seen in a decade. “What can I say, Raegan? I got good nuts, and any nut worth eating has to be salty.”

  I crossed my arms on my chest, careful of the knife. “No more nuts, Clint. She’s had two strokes. Getting that blood pressure down is crucial.”

  He stepped into my space. “One of those was a mini-stroke. Not that those aren’t bad, too, but there’s no telling how many days your mom has left. She likes boiled peanuts, there’s no reason to keep them from her. Especially this week.”

  My eyes widened but I let it go. “I’m grateful that you’re her snack supplier, but this needs to be the last time you come by, and I’ll take your key, if you don’t mind.”

  His face lowered toward mine, the fire in his eyes fierce as ever. “I do mind, Raegan Connelly. Especially seeing as it was your mother herself who gave me the key long before she had her first stroke or needed Wynnie to look after her.”

  My head reared back because Bronwyn didn’t let just anybody call her Wynnie.

  He smiled and it looked almost conniving. “Yeah. You’ve been out of the loop since you got your dream job on Madison Avenue. I’ve been helping out more than you know because I didn’t want you to know.”

  He looked to the counter and back to me. “Now, you get Penny’s sandwich ready, I can give her a side dish of peanuts to go with it. Got news for you, hot-shot, I don’t give her that many peanuts at a time, so you think I’m gonna stop bein’ her ‘snack supplier,’ you better think again.”

  I glared at him as he strode to the pantry, and I noticed he carried two grocery bags filled with cans of boiled peanuts.

  He looked to me, cocking a brow. “Better hop to, Rae. Your mama gets mighty ornery if she has to eat her lunch after the news.”

  The sooner I made Mom’s lunch, the sooner I could get Clint out of the house. As I plated her sandwich, Clint’s phone rang. I kept my eyes to the plate of food, but I heard how distracted he sounded.

  “Ramsey,” he answered.

  Pause.

  Then, “I got a moment. What’s up?”

  Unfortunately, I wondered who might be on the line. Since it was the middle of the day, I figured it might be his boss.

  “What the hell for?”

  I glanced his way, and found him staring at me. My head jerked as I refocused on cutting Mom’s sandwich into four triangles.

  He guffawed. “Now that’s a first. Uh, can I bring a woman?”

  My stomach sank. It wasn’t like I thought he had been celibate in the past ten years, but I never thought I’d have to hear him making plans to take his woman somewhere.

  “What’s for dinner?”

  Another knife to my dead heart. In the past ten years, I often thought of Clint because of his semi-foodie ways. He appreciated only the best food, which didn’t mean it had to be healthy or expensive –as evidenced by the boiled peanuts. When we were living together, he often asked me what was for dinner as he scrambled his eggs for breakfast, such was his focus.

  My head hung with those thoughts.

  “Oh yeah. Definitely better be Beef Wellington. That’s right up my girl Raegan’s alley. Time?”

  My head jerked up at the end of his statement, and I glared at him.

  Oblivious to my ire, he grinned at me.

  “We’ll be there, man. Lookin’ forward to it, but just to say, you didn’t need to do this.”

  Pause.

  “Later.”

  As he tucked his phone away, I crossed my arms on my chest. “Have you lost your mind? Or is there some other woman in your life named Raegan you’re taking to this dinner date?”

  He eyed me up and down, again, before he stepped closer and I caught a whiff of his scent. It was different from years ago. Maybe even better than before, but I couldn’t think about that.

  “Thinkin’ I lost my mind the day I told you to follow your dreams. It’s just dinner with my buddy’s younger brother.”

  I shook my head and opened my mouth to speak but he put his finger on my lips.

  “Caring for your mother is draining on the best of days, Rae. Wynnie hardly ever had a moment for herself. Try as I might to get her to take a few hours for herself, she rarely would. So, it’ll be a cold day in hell when I watch you do that shit to yourself. You’ll get two hours out of the house, tops. You don’t trust her alone that long, I got a buddy who can drop by.”

  Ignoring the familiar feel of his finger on my lips, I pulled my head away to say, “That’s not the point.”

  He shook his head. “You don’t have a point, Raegan. Breaks like this don’t come around often, you need to take advantage. You got five hours to prepare yourself. Besides, you damn sure don’t have time to make Beef Wellington yourself, and rumor has it, while in the Big Apple, you developed a taste not for the finer things in life, but only the finest things.”

  Get it today!

  Releases February 16, 2021

  About the Author

  Karen Renee is the author of the Riot MC, Beta, and O-Town series of books. She once crunched Nielsen ratings data but these days she brings her imagination to life by writing books. She has wanted to be a writer since she was very young, but it’s taken the last twenty plus years for her to amass enough courage and overall life experience to bring that dream to life. Some of those life experiences came from the wonderful world of advertising, banking, and local television med
ia research. She is a proud wife and mother, and a Jacksonville native. When she’s not at the soccer field or cooking, you can find her at her local library, the grocery store, in her car jamming out to some tunes, or hibernating while she writes and/or reads books.

  Other Books by Karen Renee

  Please visit your favorite eBook retailer to discover other books by Karen Renee:

  The Riot MC Series

  Unforeseen Riot

  Inciting a Riot

  Into the Riot

  Calming the Riot

  Foolish Riot

  Respectable Riot

  Starting the Riot

  A Friendsgiving Riot – a short story found in Romancing the Holidays Available Now!

  THE BETA SERIES

  Beta Test

  Beta Sites Coming in 2021

  RIOT MC BILOXI CHAPTER Series

  Harm’s Way Coming April 2021

  Brute’s Strength

  Roman’s War

  THE O-TOWN SERIES

  Relentless Habit

  Wild Forces

  Abrupt Changes

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