I knew she hadn’t done it on purpose, but it was all I could do not to pull her into my arms and throw her onto the pool table so I could have my way with her. That probably wouldn’t be the best thing to do, though.
“Are you guys just going to keep making moo-moo eyes at each other?” Dillon asked from my side as the kid started busing some of the tables. He was the only one of us actually working tonight, so we all stepped in behind the bar. Okay, the rest of them stepped in behind the bar. Beckham wouldn’t let me. Whatever. I tried to help.
“I don’t really think that’s the saying,” Harmony said, laughing.
Dillon just shrugged. “Whatever. Moo-moo eyes, cow eyes, moon eyes. You keep looking at each other and making out when you don’t think anyone’s looking, even though we’re all looking. Not that I’m not happy for you guys, but come on. Do we always have to watch that?”
The kid visibly shuddered, even though he was smiling, so I handed over the pool cue, pulled Harmony into my arms, and dipped her, kissing her hard, our lips meshing, leaving both of us panting. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kicked up one leg.
I saw the flash and knew Violet was taking a photo of us, so I dipped Harmony a little deeper and then pulled her up to her feet and spun her. I’d have to ask for that photo later. I’d want the damn thing framed.
Harmony laughed and fell against my chest while Dillon just rolled his eyes and stomped away, likely going to bus more tables.
I was so damn happy. Even though I’d never thought I could be this happy. I still didn’t quite trust it, but I trusted the woman in my arms. We still had a ways to go, and even though we had told each other that we loved each other, we knew that love was going to change, deepen, just grow. We were going to move slowly in our relationship, slower than we had been, even though it seemed as if it had moved at full speed as soon as we allowed each other to look at one another in that way.
But we were going to get to know each other again and find the new parts of ourselves.
And I was ready for that.
I knew there would be days when we would both be reminded of what we lost, but we would have each other for that. I knew that Harmony had already talked to both of her parents, and they were oddly supportive of the relationship. Maybe it was because they knew me, so it made things easier. Regardless, as long as Harmony was fine, I was good.
I was surrounded by my family, joined by the woman that trusted me to love her and trusted me with her love. There would likely be issues that arose. Even though the bar was doing great, it could go bad at any moment. Because that was just the name of the game. I was still working too hard, and I would have to find a way to fix things there. Maybe I’d actually trust more people at my other job and work more at the bar because I wanted to be near my family and friends.
Maybe I’d learn to delegate.
Harmony still needed to work as many hours as she did at her charity, and I wanted to find a way to help her with that, even though I knew she could handle everything on her own. I just wanted to be a part of it.
I knew that we didn’t have a normal relationship, but there was nothing normal about anything having to do with us. We had all been through hell, but we had found our way through.
I was holding the one woman I shouldn’t have, and yet she was the person I wanted, the one I loved.
There was no holding back about it. Not anymore.
“You look pensive again,” Harmony said as she leaned into me. I kissed her, knowing that Dillon was still around, as were the others.
“I’ll try to be better.”
“Oh, I don’t mind you all broody. A broody Brendon is kind of sexy.”
“Well, I think I can keep brooding if you want me to.” I swallowed hard, remembering how I’d wanted to touch her like this the last time we played and had held myself back. We’d only been friends then. At least on the surface. It had taken looking beneath that layer to find who we truly were to each other. “I love you,” I whispered, kissing her again. “Thank you for taking a chance on me. Thank you for saying yes.”
She looked up at me, smiling, so much love and trust in her eyes that it was hard for me to keep my emotions at bay. And for someone who used to be so good at keeping everything locked down, that was surprising.
“I love you, too. Thanks for holding me. And just for being here. And thanks for being you.”
I knew she meant that. Because the funny thing was, with her, I saw the path I could take. I knew that when I looked in my past, I didn’t have to fret about everything that kept coming at me.
With Harmony, I didn’t need to go back. Hold back. I didn’t need to wake up with cold sweats anymore. Oh, they would probably return because that was my life. But it wasn’t the only part of my life.
Harmony was the major part. And so was my family.
I was happy, something I hadn’t let myself be for a while.
I kissed Harmony again and then grinned as the others cheered since Beckham had sunk the eight ball, officially beating us in the practice pool tournament.
There would be no dancing tonight, or maybe there would be, but only in private.
Because I had my Harmony…and I couldn’t wait to see our next dance.
* * *
Next in the Fractured Connections series:
* * *
FALLING WITH YOU
A Note from Carrie Ann Ryan
Thank you so much for reading SHOULDN’T HAVE YOU. I do hope if you liked this story, that you would please leave a review! Reviews help authors and readers.
This story wasn’t easy to write. That’s an understatement. I knew I needed to write it but I didn’t know it would feel…like this in the end. I hope you loved Harmony and Brendon’s story even if it’s a little different. They both had to come to terms with what was while finding their friendship first.
This series is heavy, I know that, but in the end, there is hope, there is that happily ever after. I wanted to write a series where there is love even when it doesn’t feel like there can be.
I’m honored you’re reading this series and I do hope you continue on. This is possibly one of my most personal series and I’m blessed in the fact I get to write it.
Next up is Sienna and Aiden and they have some explaining to do. And Meadow and Beckham surprised me and screamed that they needed their stories as well.
If you missed Cameron and Violet’s story, it’s called Breaking Without You and out now!
BTW, in case you didn’t know, Mace and Adrienne had their story in Fallen Ink as the Fractured Series is part of the Montgomery Ink world!
And if you’re new to my books, you can start anywhere within the my interconnected series and catch up! Each book is a stand alone, so jump around!
Don’t miss out on the Montgomery Ink World!
Montgomery Ink (The Denver Montgomerys)
Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs (The Colorado Springs Montgomery Cousins)
Montgomery Ink: Boulder (The Boulder Montgomery Cousins)
Gallagher Brothers (Jake’s Brothers from Ink Enduring)
Whiskey and Lies (Tabby’s Brothers from Ink Exposed)
Fractured Connections (Mace’s sisters from Fallen Ink)
Less Than (Dimitri’s siblings from Restless Ink)
If you want to make sure you know what’s coming next from me, you can sign up for my newsletter at www.CarrieAnnRyan.com; follow me on twitter at @CarrieAnnRyan, or like my Facebook page. I also have a Facebook Fan Club where we have trivia, chats, and other goodies. You guys are the reason I get to do what I do and I thank you.
Make sure you’re signed up for my MAILING LIST so you can know when the next releases are available as well as find giveaways and FREE READS.
Happy Reading!
The Fractured Connections Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Breaking Without You
Book 2: Shouldn’t Have You
Book 3: Falling With You
Book 4: Taken With You
* * *
Want to keep up to date with the next Carrie Ann Ryan Release? Receive Text Alerts easily!
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About the Author
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Redwood Pack, Talon Pack, and Gallagher Brothers series, which have sold over 2.0 million books worldwide. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over fifty novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not writing about bearded tattooed men or alpha wolves that need to find their mates, she’s reading as much as she can and exploring the world of baking and gourmet cooking.
www.CarrieAnnRyan.com
More from Carrie Ann Ryan
Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs
Book 1: Fallen Ink
Book 2: Restless Ink
Book 2.5: Ashes to Ink
Book 3: Jagged Ink
Book 3.5: Ink by Numbers
* * *
The Fractured Connections Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Breaking Without You
Book 2: Shouldn’t Have You
Book 3: Falling With You
Book 4: Taken With You
* * *
The Montgomery Ink: Boulder Series:
Book 1: Wrapped in Ink
Book 2: Sated in Ink
* * *
The Less Than Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Breathless With Her
Book 2: Reckless With You
Book 3: Shameless With Him
* * *
The Elements of Five Series:
Book 1: From Breath and Ruin
Book 2: From Flame and Ash
* * *
Montgomery Ink:
Book 0.5: Ink Inspired
Book 0.6: Ink Reunited
Book 1: Delicate Ink
Book 1.5: Forever Ink
Book 2: Tempting Boundaries
Book 3: Harder than Words
Book 4: Written in Ink
Book 4.5: Hidden Ink
Book 5: Ink Enduring
Book 6: Ink Exposed
Book 6.5: Adoring Ink
Book 6.6: Love, Honor, & Ink
Book 7: Inked Expressions
Book 7.3: Dropout
Book 7.5: Executive Ink
Book 8: Inked Memories
Book 8.5: Inked Nights
Book 8.7: Second Chance Ink
* * *
The Gallagher Brothers Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Love Restored
Book 2: Passion Restored
Book 3: Hope Restored
* * *
The Whiskey and Lies Series:
A Montgomery Ink Spin Off Series
Book 1: Whiskey Secrets
Book 2: Whiskey Reveals
Book 3: Whiskey Undone
* * *
The Talon Pack:
Book 1: Tattered Loyalties
Book 2: An Alpha’s Choice
Book 3: Mated in Mist
Book 4: Wolf Betrayed
Book 5: Fractured Silence
Book 6: Destiny Disgraced
Book 7: Eternal Mourning
Book 8: Strength Enduring
Book 9: Forever Broken
* * *
Redwood Pack Series:
Book 1: An Alpha’s Path
Book 2: A Taste for a Mate
Book 3: Trinity Bound
Redwood Pack Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 3.5: A Night Away
Book 4: Enforcer’s Redemption
Book 4.5: Blurred Expectations
Book 4.7: Forgiveness
Book 5: Shattered Emotions
Book 6: Hidden Destiny
Book 6.5: A Beta’s Haven
Book 7: Fighting Fate
Book 7.5: Loving the Omega
Book 7.7: The Hunted Heart
Book 8: Wicked Wolf
The Complete Redwood Pack Box Set (Contains Books 1-7.7)
* * *
The Branded Pack Series:
(Written with Alexandra Ivy)
Book 1: Stolen and Forgiven
Book 2: Abandoned and Unseen
Book 3: Buried and Shadowed
* * *
Dante’s Circle Series:
Book 1: Dust of My Wings
Book 2: Her Warriors’ Three Wishes
Book 3: An Unlucky Moon
The Dante’s Circle Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 3.5: His Choice
Book 4: Tangled Innocence
Book 5: Fierce Enchantment
Book 6: An Immortal’s Song
Book 7: Prowled Darkness
The Complete Dante’s Circle Series (Contains Books 1-7)
* * *
Holiday, Montana Series:
Book 1: Charmed Spirits
Book 2: Santa’s Executive
Book 3: Finding Abigail
The Holiday, Montana Box Set (Contains Books 1-3)
Book 4: Her Lucky Love
Book 5: Dreams of Ivory
The Complete Holiday, Montana Box Set (Contains Books 1-5)
* * *
The Happy Ever After Series:
Flame and Ink
Ink Ever After
* * *
Single Title:
Finally Found You
Shouldn't Have You Page 20
