by BJ Harvey
Rounding the corner, I come to a sudden stop, frozen in place as I see my dream in reality for the first time.
A white wooden arch stands at the beginning of the aisle. Green topiaries with wildflower features line the way down the aisle, and white chairs are filled with our closest friends and family, all of whom have turned to face us with smiles and warm expressions. Then I let my eyes drift to the wooden stage at the end, and everything else fades away because there he is—my today, my tomorrow, my forever. He looks so damn hot in his green suit pants and matching waistcoat, over an open-necked cream shirt. His hair is styled in the same effortless way it was when I met him all those years ago, his eyes locked on mine as he mouths “wow” before curving his lips into a sexy grin.
I take one step, then another. Dad keeps up with me until I start jogging. He lets me go with a chuckle and a “fly free, my Petal,” earning a chorus of laughter from the crowd.
When I reach Jase, I somehow manage to pause just for a second, looking to my left and running my gaze over Dani, then Zoe, and lastly Mia. A cheeky wink from her is the only sign I need. I hand her my bouquet and make the final step I’ll ever take as a single woman. Jase reaches out to lace his fingers with mine as we finally stand in front of the same female celebrant who married Mom and Dad, and who performed the commitment ceremonies for both Dad and Malcolm and Mom and Justice.
She smiles brightly, looking between the two of us as Jase lifts the back of my hand to his lips and presses a kiss against my skin. “Most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he murmurs.
“Well, I don’t know about the rest of y’all, but I’d say these two are in a bit of a hurry to get married,” Dawn says to the guests, making us all laugh all over again.
“I promise to provide, protect, and take care of you and our beautifully named babies…” He winks and grins at me. “… for the rest of my life. You’ll get sick of the love, care, and attention I’ll give you, but whatever happens, whatever we disagree about and whatever I do to end up sleeping on the couch, I will never leave. I’ll never give up, and I’ll always fight for you, for us, and for whatever family we raise together. So that leaves me with one last question, princess…”
I narrow my eyes at him. This entire day is nothing I expected and everything I’ve always dreamed of, and he thinks there could ever be a single doubt in my mind that this is what I want? How could I ever want or need anything or anyone more than the man standing before me?
“There is no question. Yes!” I jump into his arms, thankful for his quick reaction time and ability to catch me. Cupping his jaw, I lower my forehead to his, then with our lips barely touching, I stage whisper—for those at the back, of course, “I do, and you do, and you’ll always do. Now kiss me or don’t, but Dawn, I beg of you, please declare us man and wife so I can make out with my husband.”
“I now pronounce you…”
I don’t wait a second longer, locking my lips with his and kissing the ever-loving shit out of Jason Marcus Cleary. My husband, my life, and my ultimate planner.
The most perfect man ever made for me.
Later that night…
I soon find out that Jase has one last surprise up his sleeve. Having said our goodbyes to our friends and family, he leads me hand in hand out of the backyard, taking the same path that led me to him earlier that afternoon. Except this time, when we walk through the hedge and through my parents big back meadow we come to a line of candle-lit lanterns, showing the way to a huge cream canvas tent, the opening fluttering in the light breeze, giving a glimpse of a soft, warm glow coming from inside.
Without warning, Jase bends down and sweeps me off my feet and into his arms, carrying me the short distance to glamping heaven.
I crush my lips to his as soon as we step inside the tent, cupping his jaw and kissing him with more passion than I ever have before. When we come up for air, I rest my forehead to his and breathe him in. This wonderful dream husband of mine has truly outdone himself.
“I take it you like our honeymoon suite,” he says, chuckling as he gently lowers me to my feet again.
I plaster myself to his side as I turn and take in the room. A huge bed sits against the back wall with a lace canopy draped down over it from the ceiling, cocooning the mattress and creating a fantasy I never knew I’d had.
“This is…”
“Everything you’ve ever deserved and more, princess.”
I turn my head and look up at him, meeting his hooded eyes. “I thought I was your queen now?” I ask huskily, lifting a brow.
“One I’m destined to worship as soon as I can bring myself to take you out of that dress.” He runs his hands up and down my arms. My body trembles against him.
Then I notice it: a lone black gift box sitting on the edge of the bed, a white card resting on top.
“More gifts?”
He shakes his head. “This time I can’t take the credit,” he says, stepping forward and reaching for the card.
“Want to do the honors?” he asks, pointing the card my way.
“Read it to me,” I say, coming up beside him.
Turning it over, he’s quiet for a while before his shoulders start shaking, a chuckle escaping his lips.
“What is it?”
“I think it’s only fair you read this one yourself, my queen.”
Taking the note from his outstretched hand, I read the words, my lips curving up as I do.
Petal,
I feel it’s only right that I impart one final piece of advice for your wedding night. Use wisely and liberally.
Love Mom
My head snaps up just in time to see Jase opening the lid of the box and revealing one final wedding gift nestled in black tissue paper.
A big bottle of lube.
That’s one tip we do indeed remember that night, and well into the next morning.
This may be the last book in the Game series, but I’ll let you in on a little secret you may have guessed already. There’s a new series on the horizon, and it surrounds Abi’s four very single brothers, starting with the stand-in limo driver, Jamie ;)
Sign up here for future book news.
Also, you can see Jason’s vision board here.
Game Series Reading Order:
Game Player (Game #1)
Game Maker (Game #2)
Game Saver (Game #3)
Game Ender (Game #4)
Game Breaker (Game #5)
Game Planner (Game #6)
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See where it all began in the Bliss Series:
“What do you get when you mix Sex and The City, Superman and a hot x rated movie? You get an amazing sexy read filled with different guys to satisfy all of your needs and then some! What else do you need? As if the hot guys weren’t enough, this book was full of angst, comedy and self-discovery. Plus it has a strong lead female, which is rare to find in books!”
Grab Temporary Bliss here
Want to see where the Bliss series began?
Continue reading for Chapter 1 of Temporary Bliss–
Book 1 of the USA Today Bestselling Bliss Series.
“The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face”
I’m on my way home after finishing a shift at the hospital. I’m just getting comfortable and texting Kate, when I drop my phone. Of course, it had to slide down the train away from me. Thankfully, being 8 p.m., the cab isn’t too full. Just as I’m about to get up and search the floor in a desperate last attempt to regain my life, hey, my phone is my life, don’t judge, I see him.
As luck would have it, my phone hit a strange man’s black loafer clad foot, and when I look up, I see said man making his way towards me. This man is sex on legs delicious. I totally clocked him when he got on the train at the stop after me. I’m amazed that I’m even coherent enough to notice anyone, given that I’m at the end of an eight hour day shift where I was rushed off my feet. I’m
dog tired, but my mind is restless, wired, and you guessed it, horny.
Noah has been on a training course for the week, so there has been no chance of any on-call room hook ups, Sean has been out of town for business for the past few days, and Zander has had back to back bookings all week. It’s just been me, my trusty rabbit who, as luck would have it, has run out of juice, or option number three, this delectable man who is now walking towards me.
Ding, Ding, Ding! I pick door number three.
He just doesn’t know it yet.
He’s wearing a granite colored suit, the jacket hanging over his arm which is carrying a black leather briefcase. His white dress shirt has the sleeves rolled up, and he’s obviously finished work for the day because his top two buttons are undone, giving a slight glimpse of a tanned and toned chest that you just want to lick. I’m in businessman fantasy heaven, and he is being delivered to me on a plate, or in this case, a rattly, somewhat dirty, Chicago train.
But beggars can’t be choosers.
He’s totally caught me staring at him, his pearly white smile growing on his gorgeous face as he gets closer. I give him a slightly embarrassed, yet cute smile back, knowing that I’ve been caught checking him out. He holds his hand out to me when he reaches my seat, and being the socially awkward idiot that I am, I put my hand out to shake his, feeling absolutely mortified when I realize that he was only trying to hand my phone back.
“Sorry, is this your phone? It slid down the floor from this direction, and you’re one of the only people on the train without a phone or an e-reader in your hand, so I’m taking a lucky guess,” he says with a sly grin, thankfully not laughing at my social ineptitude.
“Yeah, that’ll be mine. Sorry to make you come all the way down here,” I reply, an uncontrollable blush creeping up my cheeks.
“Hey, it’s no problem. I don’t mind being given an excuse to talk to a beautiful stranger, on the L, at night, alone…”
His words are calculated. He somehow has managed to compliment me at the same time as chastising me for traveling alone on the L at night. Now that is talent! I feel a chill run up my spine at the sheer presence of this man.
“Makenna Lewis, but everyone calls me Mac,” I say, this time actually holding my hand out to shake his.
He looks down at my outstretched hand and drags piercing caramel colored eyes down my scrub clad body, his jaw twitching as he returns his gaze back to my face.
“Daniel Winters,” he replies, taking my hand in his and shaking it once while very deliberately dragging his hand slowly from mine, running the length of my fingers as he pulls away. I bite my lip as warm tingles travel from my fingers and up my arms, then shoot right down to my girly bits.
Holy hell, he’s got game, and it’s a game I want to play!
This man leaves Zander in his wake, and Zander is a professional stripper who gets paid to flirt.
“Where are you headed tonight? Have you just finished work, or just starting?” he asks, reaching up to hold on to the cabin’s overhead rail while he looks down at me with a raised eyebrow. That move brings my attention to his tailored shirt tightening over his toned biceps, and then I see it. It’s like my eyes are homing beacons looking for the slightest hint of skin. A small part of his shirt has come loose at his waist and has ridden up, giving me a glimpse of a tight set of abs and the smallest smattering of hair leading a trail south below his waistband. Lord knows I’m a sucker for tight abs and a happy trail.
C’mon, Mac, get it together, you’re drooling, and he’s waiting for an answer.
“Ah work, yeah, I just finished my shift at Northwestern,” I mutter, shaking my head to get rid of thoughts of him shirtless, and in my bed.
“Ah, a doctor then?” he asks with a smile.
“I’m a nurse in the ICU,” I answer back, the now stupid grin on my face getting wider as we sit there, smiling at each other.
“And how about you? Let me guess… a lawyer? No, wait, maybe an accountant? Nope, not that either. My last answer is undertaker.” I tilt my head and give him a returning ‘What’cha got for me now’ look.
He laughs and I literally stop breathing.
All of Daniel’s physical attributes are already measuring mighty high on the Makenna scale of hotness, but that laugh… the low baritone timbre that can stop wars, solve world hunger, and cure women of their need for underwear all at the same time… it is the work of the devil. I swear to God, all he’d have to do is lie there and laugh all day, and I swear I could sit on his chest and get off.
“I’m a stockbroker,” he finally tells me, leaning in and putting his spare arm on the back of my seat. “And I guess none of my sexy nurse jokes will win me any favors with you either, right?” I notice a slight upwards curl of his lips, and realize that he’s not only sexy and has a laugh that could make a nun horny, but he’s funny too.
Godammit!
“Probably not, but you never know your luck in the big city,” I muse.
He nods in agreement. “Duly noted.”
“So, you like to play with money then.” I can’t believe I’m being so blatant with this man. He smirks, and wouldn’t you know it, out come the dimples. Freaking adorable, cute as all hell divots on either side of his cheeks, dimples!
They’re going to be my downfall.
“I like playing with other people’s money,” he murmurs. His eyes have gone dark now.
“Sounds like fun. What else do you like to do?” Holy shit, Mac! Why don’t you just hump his leg already? Damn, I must need some sleep, or some rabbit relief, or something. I look down and blush again. I may talk a good game, but my blush always gives my self-conscious side away.
“Lots of things.” He pauses for a moment, long enough for me to look back up into those gorgeous eyes of his. My breath hitches when I see him looking back at me like I’m water and he’s dying of thirst. “Candlelit dinners, long walks… sex on the beach…”
He smiles as he says that last thing, especially when my eyes go wide.
Confidence simply exudes from him; he’s sure of himself, but not in an overly cocky way. But lord knows that I really want to know what he could do to me and vice versa.
“How about we start with my bed?” I say with a sexy smile and a wink.
And that is how I met Daniel Winters.
BJ Harvey is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Bliss Series. She also regards herself as a smut peddler, suspense conjurer and a funny romance thinker upper. An avid music fan, you will always find her singing some hit song badly but loving every minute of it. She’s a wife, a mom to two beautiful girls, and hails from what she considers as the best country in the world—New Zealand.
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Romantic Comedy
Bliss Series (Interconnected Standalones)
Temporary Bliss (Bliss #1)
True Bliss (Bliss #2)
Blissful Surrender (Bliss #3)
Permanent Bliss (Bliss #4)
Finding Bliss (Bliss #5)
The Game Series (Bliss Series Spin Off)
Game Player (Game #1)
Game Maker (Game #2)
Game Saver (Game #3)
Game Ender (Game #4)
Game Breaker (Game #5)
Game Planner (Game #6)
Holiday Romance
Stranded (Christmas novella with a Bliss Series connection)
Romance Suspense
Lost in Distraction (Lost #1)
Lost For You (Lost #2)
Lost Without You (Lost #3)
Erotic Suspense—Standalone
Crave
Contemporary Romance
One Shot (Chances #1)
Second Chance (Chances #2)
&nb
sp; Third Strike (Chances #3)
Touch (Sovereign Part One)
Taste (Sovereign Part Two)
Feel (Sovereign Part Three)
