“What’s that?”
“We don’t have a house of our own.”
Ellie shakes her head with her lips pursed. “We are living in one now.”
“Yeah, but my brother is going to be coming soon, and that got me thinking, we should have somewhere that’s just for the three of us. A few months ago, I approached Declan about this,” I extend the paperwork.
“What did you do?”
“Just open it.”
She does so slowly, and her eyes go wide as she reads the agreement. “You’re buying land?”
“I’m buying us land. My brothers agreed to sell me part of the Arrowood farm once it’s able to be sold, and I’d like us to build on it. The good part is that we can actually start to build before it’s sold. We can stay here while it’s being built, but everything is ready to go if you are.”
Hadley makes a squeal as she holds on to my arm. “Can we have goats?”
Her and the animals. “Let’s see if Mom goes for the house first.”
Then she looks at the paper behind it, taking a minute to examine the architect’s sketch of the house I’d had designed. “That’s what I had drawn up. I was thinking that, even though it doesn’t have a steeple or gates, it would be great for us.”
“Connor . . .”
“It has four bedrooms, the porch goes all the way around, and there’s an office where you can work when you need to. I was thinking we could put—”
Ellie grips my face, pressing her lips to mine, effectively silencing me.
“Eww,” Hadley complains, and we both smile against the other’s lips.
“What do you think?”
“I think I love you and this is perfect.”
I lean down and pull Hadley up into my arms and then grab ahold of Ellie. “This is what’s perfect.”
Ellie gives us each a kiss. “What do you think, Hadley?”
She grabs both our necks and pulls us close. “I love our family.”
“Me too, Squirt.”
“Me three.”
And everything I have in my arms is everything I need.
Epilogue
Ellie
~Two months later~
“Dealing with these contractors is driving us crazy. But it’s a huge relief that the Walcott farm sold and now I don’t have to worry about Kevin living next door.”
“Yeah.”
“Connor took me out for dinner last night, and I swear, Syd, I thought he was going to propose.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I don’t know if I’m ready, but then I wonder about what more I need to be ready.”
“Right.”
It’s been an hour of us sitting here in the farmhouse. We’re supposed to be having a girl’s lunch since Connor is at the build site and Hadley is at riding camp, but Syd is being a grump. Instead of eating, she keeps moving the food around the plate and giving one-word answers.
I pick up my napkin and toss it at her. “What is up with you?”
“I’m fine.”
I know she isn’t, and I have a feeling I know what is bothering her. “Declan comes this week.”
Sydney’s eyes light up for the first time. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“You never do, but I think you should.”
I can’t imagine this is going to be easy on her, and she’s been doing her best to pretend, but time is up. Declan has cleared the next six months so he can do his time on the farm.
The brothers decided that when the conditions of the will were met, they were going to split up the land into quarters and if one wanted their portion, they could have it, but they forfeited all rights to any proceeds for the other three. When Declan, Sean, and Jacob go to sell, they’ll split it three ways since Connor is keeping his.
The section we’re building on is perfect. It’s Connor’s favorite spot and where Hadley’s ridiculous tree-mansion sits.
Still, we’re nowhere near done with building since they broke ground only a month ago. Instead of taking Declan in as a roommate, which he refused to even consider, he had a sort of tiny home built out by the barn, which is now completely finished and functional.
“I’m sorry, I have a lot on my mind.”
“Okay . . . like, Declan?”
She gives me a pointed stare, which I’m sure intimidates some people—just not me. “I need to figure some things out.”
I hate that she’s clearly upset. “Syd, you know you can tell me anything.”
She releases a deep breath and then looks away. “I made a mistake.”
“Okay . . .”
“I . . . screwed up the weekend of Hadley’s birthday.”
Oh God. I have a bad feeling about this.
“And?”
“And I was an idiot. I left the party, because I didn’t want to be anywhere around Declan. I was a mess. I kept crying because our stupid song came on the radio, and so I went out to the pond because that’s what dumb girls who are still in love with their exes do. I stood out there, thinking of him, wanting for things to be different.”
“Syd . . .”
She lifts her hand. “It gets worse. Apparently, he was feeling the same way . . . nostalgic and he came out there as well.”
My chest aches for her because I know how much she still loves him. He’s been the guy. The one who she can’t seem to get over and yet doesn’t want back in her life.
He hurt her more than she’ll ever admit.
“Please tell me you didn’t . . .”
“Okay, I won’t tell you.”
Yeah, it’s bad. “And now?”
Her eyes lift to mine and a tear falls down her cheek. “Now, I need to take a test.”
I take her hand, and decide to confess my own fear. “I do too.”
“You’re?”
“I don’t know,” I say quickly. “But I’m late, and Connor and I have been pretty . . . busy not caring.”
I had my IUD removed, and we both sort of figured if it happens, then it’s meant to be. I’ve always wanted more kids, and he’s the only man I want to have a family with.
“Do you have a test?” she asks.
I picked up one of those value packs because I’m one of those crazy people who will need at least four tests to confirm what test one says.
I nod, and we head into the bathroom. I hand her the one, letting her go first, and then, it’s my turn.
We have three minutes.
I set the timer, and we sit in the dining room.
“Not how you thought lunch would go, huh?”
I shake my head. “No, but . . . I get it.”
“What am I going to do if it’s positive?”
I remember all too well how it felt when I found out I was pregnant with Hadley. It was terrifying. I wasn’t ready to be a mother, but there I was.
“I know you’re scared, probably more so because you’re alone, but Declan is a good man. He’s not going to make you do this alone.”
“He can’t know.”
Now, it’s my turn to be taken aback. “You have to tell him.”
“When I’m ready. Not now. Promise me, Ellie. You have to promise you won’t tell him or Connor.”
“I can’t lie to Connor.”
She shakes her head and grabs my hands. “You don’t understand—”
The timer goes off and both of us freeze. “I won’t say anything unless he asks.”
Sydney releases a heavy sigh and then nods. “I guess that’s the most I can ask for. Hopefully, it’ll be negative and this will all be a bad dream.”
I hope so for her too.
We both get up and head toward the bathroom to see the results.
Again, I stand outside, waiting for Sydney to come out, and I say a prayer, asking for this to go the way we both want it to.
But before I can go see the results, Connor comes through the door.
“Hey, baby.” He walks over and gives me a kiss.
“Hi.”
“What’s wrong?�
�� he asks because it’s clear I’m distracted.
I shake my legs back and forth and then bite my lip. “Wrong? Nothing’s wrong, just need to use the bathroom.”
Then the door opens and Sydney comes out holding both tests. She looks at me and shakes her head, but I’m not sure what that means. Then she kisses my cheek and holds out what I assume to be my test to me.
Connor’s eyes drop to the unmistakable object in my hand.
Then she turns to him and smiles. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow. I need to go.”
“Syd?”
There are tears in her eyes, but she doesn’t say anything. She touches my arm and then walks away.
I stand here, watching her go while holding my test. I’m worried about her.
“Ellie?” Connor says. “Is that?”
My pulse spikes because if this is positive, everything will change. Not that our life hasn’t been constantly evolving, but a baby will amplify it. Then I think, what does it matter? He and I love each other and knew this was a definite possibility. I can’t imagine my life with anyone else.
He’s already an amazing father, and this time, it won’t be scary. I’ll have him with me each step of the way.
“I’m late,” I explain. “I thought that maybe I could be pregnant.”
He smiles wide, and now I really hope the test is positive.
I lift the test, and my entire world becomes just a bit brighter. “We’re pregnant,” I say with tears in my eyes.
He wraps his arms around me and kisses the side of my neck. “We’re having another baby.”
“It seems we are,” I say as a tear rolls down my face. “Are you happy?”
He pulls back. “Am I happy? I’m fucking beyond happy! We’re having another baby, and God help me, Ellie, I’m going to marry you. I know you wanted to wait, but—”
“I don’t want to wait.”
“What?”
I take his face in my hands. “I love you, Connor. I love you more than any woman has ever loved a man. I don’t need to wait to marry you. I don’t want more time. We’ve wasted enough of it. I want us to have our family whole, and I want to be your wife.”
He kisses me, and I forget how to breathe. I have no idea how long it goes on but we both start to strip each other.
His hands move down my body, soft and sensual. Connor kisses me deeply as he walks us back into our bedroom.
Slowly, he pulls the straps of my dress down, watching me as he does it. My hands go to his shirt, and I lift it off. I love his body. I love how my body reacts to his touch too.
We both explore each other with our hands. He brushes his thumb across my nipple, causing it to pebble before his mouth is lowering and he’s sucking it into his warm mouth. I moan, relishing how good it feels and pregnancy only amplifies it.
He continues to drive me crazy with his mouth and then his hand is at my clit. He flicks it back and forth, causing my back to bow. “You feel so good,” I tell him.
“I always want to make you feel good.”
And he does. He uses his hands to pleasure or show me affection, never in anger. It’s so different being with him. Sex is unbelievable, and I truly don’t know if I ever really had an orgasm after being with him.
It was as though my body rejected anything that Kevin did.
When you love and trust your partner, it’s a different experience. One that I’m glad I can share now.
He pushes me higher, licking my nipple, and moving his finger faster. I start to pant, my orgasm building with each passing second.
My head thrashes from side to side as I build even more. I call his name, begging for more and also for him to stop. I can’t take it. It’s too much.
“Connor.”
“You’re so beautiful. I love you so much.”
He puts his thumb on my clit and pushes down, and I’m done. Wave after wave of pleasure laps over me. It’s so good that I never want it to end. He pulls every ounce of pleasure out of me that my body will give. Then he’s above me.
In one swift move, Connor pushes into me, both of us moaning at the sensations. My body welcomes him, loving how well we fit together. I slide my fingers down his back, and he surges forward again.
We make love. It’s soft and hard at the same time. He flips us so I’m on top, and his hands hold on to my hips.
I ride him while he guides the pace.
“Ellie, I can’t hold back.”
I love when I make him lose it. There’s something powerful about being able to do that to him.
“Then don’t,” I tell him as I grind down harder.
“I love you.”
I swirl my hips and then drop down, bringing my lips to his. And then he finishes.
We’re both sweaty, lying beside each other, neither really moving. That was intense and fantastic and emotional all at the same time. He props himself up on his elbow, looking down at me with a wry grin.
“What?”
“I love you,” Connor says as his hand moves to my belly. “And I love you.”
“We love you more.”
“Not possible.”
We clean up and then head back to bed, where we tangle together. We’ve both been just lying here, enjoying the quiet and warmth of each other.
“What was up with Syd?” Connor asks, breaking the silence.
I think about my friend and what her head shake meant. “I think she has a lot on her mind.”
“My brother was weird on the phone today when I mentioned her.”
Yeah, well, they both might have a lot more weirdness if that test was positive. However, I don’t know if it was or wasn’t, so my not telling him isn’t exactly lying.
“Thank you,” I say after a moment.
“For what?”
“For loving me. For giving me a family. For giving me a life I only dreamed of.”
Connor’s lips press against the top of my head. “I’ll give you the world, Ellie.”
And I know he will because he already has.
* * *
Thank you for reading Connor and Ellie’s story. I hope you love them and the rest of the Arrowood Brothers as much as I do.
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Declan and Sydney’s story is coming next and has so much heart and emotion in their second chance love story!
Click here to preorder Fight for Me!
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Books by Corinne Michaels
The Salvation Series
Beloved
Beholden
Consolation
Conviction
Defenseless
Evermore: A 1001 Dark Night Novella
Indefinite
Infinite
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Return to Me Series
Say You’ll Stay
Say You Want Me
Say I’m Yours
Say You Won’t Let Go: A Return to Me/Masters and Mercenaries Novella
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Second Time Around Series
We Own Tonight
One Last Time
Not Until You
If I Only Knew
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The Arrowood Brothers
Come Back for Me
Fight for Me (Coming 5/19/20)
The One for Me (Coming 8/18/20)
Lie for Me (Coming 12/8/20)
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Co-Write with Melanie Harlow
Hold You Close
Imperfect Match
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Standalone Novels
All I Ask
/> Acknowledgments
To my husband and children. You sacrifice so much for me to continue to live out my dream. Days and nights of me being absent even when I’m here. I’m working on it. I promise. I love you more than my own life.
My readers. There’s no way I can thank you enough. It still blows me away that you read my words. You guys have become a part of my heart and soul.
Bloggers: I don’t think you guys understand what you do for the book world. It’s not a job you get paid for. It’s something you love and you do because of that. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
My beta reader Melissa Saneholtz: Dear God, I don’t know how you still talk to me after all the hell I put you through. Your input and ability to understand my mind when even I don’t blows me away. If it weren’t for our phone calls, I can’t imagine where this book would’ve been. Thank you for helping me untangle the web of my brain.
My assistant, Christy Peckham: How many times can one person be fired and keep coming back? I think we’re running out of times. No, but for real, I couldn’t imagine my life without you. You’re a pain in my ass but it’s because of you that I haven’t fallen apart.
Sommer Stein for once again making these covers perfect and still loving me after we fight because I change my mind a bajillion times.
Melanie Harlow, thank you for being the good witch in our duo or Ethel to my Lucy. Your friendship means the world to me and I love writing with you. I feel so blessed to have you in my life.
Bait, Stabby, and Corinne Michaels Books—I love you more than you’ll ever know.
My agent, Kimberly Brower, I am so happy to have you on my team. Thank you for your guidance and support.
Melissa Erickson, you’re amazing. I love your face. Thank you for always talking me off the ledge that is mighty high.
To my narrators, Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber who bring these characters to life and always manage to make the most magical audiobooks. Andi, your friendship over these last few years has only grown and I love your heart so much. Thank you for always having my back. To many more concerts and snow sleepovers.
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