Marrying My Neighbor

by Roxy Reid

  “Never again,” Sean promises.

  He kisses me again. It’s rich and deep, and it tugs me under. I realize how much I love kissing him, and I know I never want to stop. I want to have this man to kiss for the rest of my life. I don’t question it anymore. My last lucid thought is—I’m going to be kissing this man for the rest of my life.

  I smile to myself from the sheer joy of how much he changed my life. Then I stop thinking and make love to my husband.

  Epilogue

  SEAN

  Get your ass over here and celebrate, motherfucker. I’ve never been so fucking happy.

  —Sean Bronson, text to his brother, two years after accidentally marrying Grace Blackwood

  Roughly two years after I win back the love of my life via national television, I’m pretty much back where I started—mowing the lawn shirtless because I’m stuck on a project.

  Only this time, I’m mowing Grace’s backyard. Well, our backyard.

  I admit it took me a while to think of the place as mine. The whole place is filled with Grace.

  Yet, that’s why I love it so much. The other day, when we had my old colleague Henry and his artsy girlfriend over for dinner, I looked around the place and realized that there’s as much of me here as there is of Grace. I’m thoroughly tangled up in her life.

  The dinner was to thank Henry and his girlfriend for letting Grace interview them for her second book. It’s all about helping couples figure out when to hold on and keep trying to fix a relationship and when to let go. Which, in Henry’s case, meant confessing he was not, in fact, a painter. After his girlfriend got over how mad she was at him for lying, she confessed she was relieved. She wanted to support his dreams, but Henry is apparently a really, really, really bad painter.

  Unlike her first book, which was broadly about studies and tactics, this book is about real relationships—ones that ended, ones that lasted, and everything in between. She tells the story of the relationship and then interviews each half of the couple about why they decided to stay or leave. Then she writes about lessons we can all learn from how they handled that choice.

  It’s fucking brilliant, and I’m not just saying that because she’s my wife—or because she dedicated the book to me. I still feel smug about that.

  The book hasn’t hit the market yet, but according to Nora, critics are calling it “bold, vulnerable, unapologetic, and wise.”

  I’m getting the last corner of the yard when the back door opens. Grace stands there, wearing a bright red, retro sundress, one of those that hugs her breasts and flares out at the waist in a big, dramatic skirt. She’s paired it with pearls because of course she has.

  She throws a gray t-shirt at me. “They’re here! Get dressed!”

  My eyes trail over her curves. Hell, she’s gorgeous when she’s bossy.

  “We don’t have to let them in right this second,” I say, suggestively.

  “Sean!” she hisses, but her cheeks flush, and her eyes dip down my bare chest to my crotch.

  Oh, hell. If she keeps looking at me like, that we really will have a problem.

  I pull the t-shirt over my head. Grace pulls a light cardigan on over her sundress. The cardigan turns the outfit from sex-pot to church-and-picnic-appropriate, but that’s not going to stop me from fantasizing about taking it off of her tonight.

  “Have I mentioned I love you?” I say.

  “Not now! We have to go let your mom in,” Grace says and whirls on her heel to go welcome my mum and brother into our humble home.

  I put the lawnmower away, then I put my hands in my pockets and amble after Grace. I’m so happy that she’s mine.

  It’s so good to see Mum and Peter, and it’s even better to see them here. We went to Ireland for our wedding, which was technically a vow renewal since we never got divorced. Since then, Grace has been so busy with her book and I with my company that we haven’t actually had a chance to host them.

  Grace disappears into the kitchen with my mum to dish the pie I made earlier. I found it on a blog post titled Ten Recipes to Impress Your Wife and Get You Out of Doing the Dishes.

  Peter leans back in his chair. “I think this is the happiest I’ve ever seen you, Sean.”

  “I think this is the happiest I’ve ever been.”

  Peter gives me a speculative look. “Are we really only here to celebrate Grace’s book and your new business? Or is there something else you want to tell us?”

  I try not to smile, but I can’t help it. I feel like my whole face is one big grin.

  “Act surprised,” I say. “Grace wants to make the announcement over dessert.”

  “Sure, sure. Ah, Sean.” He stands up and gives me a hug, pounding me on the back.

  Grace comes out as Peter’s hugging me. She can see from my face that he knows.

  “I swear I didn’t—” I start to say, but Grace starts laughing, nearly dropping the two plates of pie she’s carrying.

  “Deidre figured it out, too,” Grace says.

  Behind her, my mum comes out of the kitchen and shrugs apologetically, but she doesn’t look sorry. In fact, she’s grinning from ear to ear.

  “You two just aren’t very good liars,” Mum says. Peter nods in agreement.

  “We lied to everyone about being married for a whole month!” Grace protests.

  “Sure, but you were really married, now weren’t you?” Mum says. “So it wasn’t a lie. You just didn’t know it was the truth yet.”

  She sits down at the table with her slice of pie and gives the other slice to Peter.

  “All right, I’m ready,” Mum says. “Go ahead and tell me your big news.”

  I roll my eyes. “Mum, you already—”

  “We’re having a baby!” Grace says, jumping up and down.

  I rescue the pie plates from her and deposit them on the table as Mum and Peter both act like this is completely shocking, brand-new information. God, I love my family.

  I lean over and kiss Grace, just because I can. Then my mum wants to hug me, then Grace, then me again. Peter hugs Grace. He even looks a little teary-eyed when he pulls away.

  “Quick, someone make a bad joke about what happens in Vegas not staying in Vegas,” Peter says as he swipes at his eyes.

  Everyone laughs, and the evening carries on. As Mum and Peter start arguing about something that happened at church a month ago, I let my hand rest on the nape of Grace’s neck. I let my thumb discretely massage the spot that makes her shiver.

  She throws me a mischievous smile.

  I love you, I mouth.

  I love you, too, she mouths back.

  That’s it, I realize. That’s the whole story of our lives. I can build as many companies as I want, but the most important thing—the whole fucking point of it, really—is loving her.

  I never knew it could all be this easy. I feel my throat get tight, but I can’t go crying in front of Mum and Peter.

  Instead, I lean in to whisper in Grace’s ear. “Those pregnancy hormones still making you horny? Because I’ve got a scarf that we can use to stay quiet tonight.”

  Grace throws back her head and laughs. It’s the best sound in the whole world.

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  Loving My Best Friend: A Billionaire Boss Romance

  Read on to find out more…

  Also by Roxy Reid

  LOVING MY BEST FRIEND: A Billionaire Boss Romance

  Quickest way to ruin a friendship?

  Take a job working for your best friend.

  Orchestrate a fake engagement.

  And get accidentally pregnant.

  Yeah, that’ll probably do it.

  Jack McBride is my way too gorgeous best friend.

  My accomplice in all things since middle school.

  He knows everything about me.

  Well, almost everything.

  When I lose my business,

  He’s there to offer me a job.

  And when a PR nightmare thr
eatens his family,

  I’m there to offer him my hand in marriage.

  Just for show of course, no funny business.

  Maybe a little bit of funny business…

  I have no idea what my heart is feeling.

  This was meant to be fake.

  How can I know if this is real?

  I guess I could fess up and tell him.

  And get rejected?

  Ouch! No thanks.

  GET IT NOW - FREE with Kindle Unlimited

  FAMOUSLY MINE: A Contemporary Romance Box Set by Roxy Reid

  Looking for romance with your famous billionaire boss?

  Lose yourself in this steamy 4-book boxset for readers who love stories packed with romance and a heap of delicious bosses, fake fiancés, second chances, fake marriages, secret pregnancies, sizzling single dads and more!

  Each book in the collection is a full-length stand alone novel guaranteed to turn up the heat and melt your heart.

  Famously Fake

  I’m fake engaged to my movie star boss.

  He’s a billionaire single dad with a secret.

  Now we’re play acting the Perfect Hollywood Couple.

  Everywhere we turn there’s damn paparazzi

  If the truth comes out we’re both ruined.

  But what happens once the faking stops?

  Am I gonna regret letting the hottest guy in Hollywood be my first?

  Famously First

  Go undercover as his tour photographer.

  Dish the dirt on my now famous ex.

  Cash that big fat check.

  Fall in love again…

  Wait what!? - That IS NOT part of the plan.

  Ten years ago he was my first boyfriend.

  Now he’s my ultra rich rockstar boss.

  Can I forgive him for wrecking my heart?

  Famously Wed

  I just woke up with Mr Gorgeous One Night Stand.

  He just happened to ‘forget’ to mention he’s my neighbor.

  Turns out he’s my billionaire boss too…

  My first day at work is turning into a right shambles.

  Somehow I’ve ended up agreeing to marry him!

  How are we going to get though a whole year of marriage

  Without tearing each other’s hair out,

  Or worse still, falling in love for real?

  Famously His Baby

  He came over to fix a lightbulb.

  We ended up breaking the bed.

  Don’t tell anyone, but I’m knocked-up.

  By my uber rich boss,

  Who also happens to be my brother’s best friend.

  My brother would wring his neck if he found out.

  Maybe keeping me a secret is all he wants.

  Well I’ve got my own little secret,

  That’s growing day by day.

  And he’s the one person I can’t tell.

  Every book in the Famously Mine series is a full length stand-alone novel with no cheating, no cliff hangers and a gorgeous happily ever after.

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  Fake Fiancé Agreement

  Keep reading to find out more…

  FAKE FIANCÉ AGREEMENT

  I’m Bethany’s boss.

  I should have known better…

  But she’s the sharpest, hottest woman I’ve ever known.

  My jealous ex-wife is threatening to take my kid away.

  I’ll do anything to keep my daughter.

  Even pretend to be engaged.

  I accidentally blurt out that Bethany is my fiancée.

  Not my smartest move I’ll admit.

  But she’s agreed to go along with it.

  Can a fake engagement lead to real love?

  The clock is ticking…

  Soon we’ll be forced to choose - marry or part forever.

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