by K. C. Lynn
“It’s so good, baby, isn’t it?”
“So good,” I agree.
“That’s because it’s us, Grace. You and me, forever.”
“Forever,” I repeat, my heart soaring with the knowledge.
His thrusts are hard, deep, and soul shattering. I will never have enough of this, never have enough of him. He feeds my heart and body like no other and I will cherish this love with him, always.
He reaches between us, his fingers circling my slick nub as he pounds into me.
My inner muscles grip him with my impending orgasm but I hold back, not wanting to go alone. I grip his shoulders, feeling every one of his muscles strain beneath my fingertips.
“Come with me,” I whisper.
Our gazes lock, seizing the moment as we find our pleasure together. We cling to each other, our sweat-soaked bodies anchored to one another the same way our souls are. Tears sting my eyes at the beauty we create together, a love I never knew existed until he came along.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my lips brushing his ear. “Thank you for making this the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”
He pulls back slightly, his green eyes reeling me in like always. “I promise to always make you happy, Grace.”
I smile back at him, my hand resting against his hard jaw. “You already do.”
Our moment is interrupted when someone bangs on the bakery door. I jump, startled by the unexpected guest. Sawyer, however, doesn’t seem the least bit surprised.
“Good thing I locked that shit.”
“Who is it?” I ask, quickly throwing my clothes back on while he throws his shirt over his head.
“Come see,” he says, a sly grin stealing his lips.
What has he done now?
Excitement grips me as I follow him out front only to come to a hard stop, another gasp fleeing past my lips at the sight of his family standing outside of the glass doors. “Oh my gosh, are you serious right now?”
Jesse and Sam wave to me as I run to the door and let them in. Both girls pull me in for a group hug. “Merry Christmas, our sweet little southern sister.”
“Merry Christmas to you, too. I can’t believe y’all are here.”
“There’s no way we were going to miss the big reveal,” Sam says.
They move to Sawyer next, almost bulldozing him down in their excited haste.
A gentle hand lands on my shoulder and I turn around to find Catherine, a warm smile resting on her face. “Merry Christmas, Grace,” she says, pulling me in for a hug.
“Merry Christmas. I’m so glad y’all came.”
“Us too, honey.”
John walks over to greet me next, looking rather proud of himself. “Well, what do you think?” he asks, spreading his arms wide. “I did good, didn’t I?”
Like father, like son.
I wrap my arms around his waist, embracing him like the others. “You sure did. It’s magical. Thank you so much.”
He hugs me tight, practically squeezing the breath out of me. “It was my pleasure, Grace. You’re a good girl, you deserve this.”
“Don’t be taking all the credit, old man. It’s still my Christmas gift,” Sawyer says, walking over to us.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” John grumbles but pulls him in for a hard hug, too. “You did good, boy. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Catherine smiles back at them with tears in her eyes, her love for the two of them written all over her face.
“Ready for one more present?” Jesse asks, handing me the black garment bag she carried in with her.
“Another one?”
“Yep. This is from Sam and me. Go on and open it.”
Her enthusiasm sparks my own and I waste no time tearing into it. My mouth drops when I pull out the three waitress uniforms, the exact same ones I cut out of a magazine and added to my sketchbook. There’s a pastel yellow, pink, and purple, all of them having scallop-edged white aprons attached to the puffy skirts.
“These are amazin’,” I whisper, completely enraptured by their stunning detail.
“They all have adjustable backs, for a one size fits all,” Jesse explains, turning the dresses over. “These are just to get you started but I promise I have more coming.”
“They’re perfect, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad I could contribute to making your dream come true.”
“We all are,” Catherine says.
Everyone’s love and generosity is absolutely breathtaking and I am so lucky to be a part of this family.
A commotion near the door draws my attention and my heart explodes once again when I see all my friends entering with food in their arms. Julia and Jaxson lead the way, followed closely by Kayla and Cooper. Cade helps Mac hobble in on his crutches and Katelyn enters in last with Grams on her arm.
Kayla lifts the casserole dish she holds, her smile as big as my own. “We thought we would christen your new place with Christmas breakfast.”
“Too late, we already did that,” Sawyer says, a cocky grin on his face.
“Sawyer!” Catherine scolds, sounding as appalled as I feel.
However, everyone else explodes into laughter, finding him as funny as he does himself.
I, on the other hand, do not. Embarrassment heats my face and I nail him in the arm, but it doesn’t faze him in the least.
Once the girls put their dishes down, we do a group hug and wish each other a Merry Christmas. Sawyer’s mom and sisters welcome Cade with opens arms, embracing him also.
“It’s so beautiful in here, Grace,” Julia says softly.
“It’s incredible, isn’t it? I can’t believe Sawyer and his family did this for me.”
“We can’t take all the credit, Cupcake,” Sawyer cuts in. “There’s one more person who contributed to this.”
“Oh?” I ask curiously.
He tips his head to the person behind me and I turn around to find Mac, watching me with a bashful smile.
“It’s his land, baby. He signed it over to you.”
My hand covers my heart as I peer back at the man who has become like a father to me. “You own this land?”
“Not anymore, it’s yours now.”
“I should have known you had something to do with this.” Walking over, I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his chest. “I love you so much, Mac.”
He gathers me close. “I love you too, darlin’. What do you think about an old man workin’ for you?”
My head lifts from his chest and I peer up at him in surprise. “You want to work here with me?”
“Why not? This way I can keep an eye on my girl, and make sure she’s being taken care of.”
I smile, warmth invading my chest like always when he calls me his girl. “I would love for you to be here with me.” Stretching up on my tiptoes, I frame his face between my hands and kiss his worn cheek.
“Uh, Grace?” Kayla says. “What the hell is that?”
I turn around to see her pointing to the ring on my finger.
Catherine gasps, her eyes bugging out of her head. “Oh my god.”
“Um…” I glance over at Sawyer for help.
“That,” he says, walking over to sling an arm around my shoulders, “is my woman’s engagement ring. I asked Grace to marry me this morning, and of course, she said yes.”
Chaos breaks out over the room as everyone runs over to congratulate us. All the girls examine my ring, their happiness mirroring my own.
Eventually, I turn around to find Mac standing in the same spot I left him, watching me with a smile. “So my darlin’s getting married.”
“I am.” I walk over to him, hugging his waist again. “What do you think about walkin’ me down the aisle?”
His grin spreads and eyes turn glassy. “Well, that would make me damn proud, girl…damn proud.”
Realizing the room has fallen silent, I twist around and see everyone looking at the photo of my mother. Mac and I walk over to join them.
Catherine sidesteps to make room for me. She puts an arm around my shoulders while Julia takes my hand in hers. Sawyer comes up behind me, his hard body warming my back.
We share a moment of silence for my mother, her stunning smile that I often think about lighting up the whole room.
“She was really beautiful, Grace,” Jesse says softly.
“Thank you. I wish you all could have met her. She was so special.”
“I have no doubt,” Catherine says, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “She had to be to raise someone as wonderful as you.”
Her words mean so much to me but not even I hold a candle to my mother. She was one of a kind and someone I strive to be like every day of my life.
Kayla clears her throat. “We should eat before the food gets cold.”
Looking over, I see her blinking back tears. It’s then I notice all the girls are misty eyed, all affected by a woman they never knew yet truly understand just how special she was.
Everyone heads back into the kitchen but I remain where I am, not ready to follow just yet.
Sawyer stays with me, his arms remaining around my waist as he pulls me back against his chest. “She will live on forever, baby. Through you and through our kids.”
Warmth spreads through my chest as I think about having his children. Turning in his arms, I gaze up at him with a smile. “Are you sayin’ you wanna have babies with me one day, Sexy Sawyer?”
“Hell yeah. Do you have any idea how good-looking our kids are going to be?”
I walked right into that one.
I burst into laughter and lift to the tips of my toes, trying to plant a kiss on his mouth but I still can’t reach. His arms tighten around me and he lifts me off my feet, bringing me in direct contact with what I crave.
My lips brush his in a heated caress. “I love you. Thank you for makin’ this the best day of my life.”
He rests his forehead against mine. “Anything for you, Cupcake.” After one more heart-stopping kiss, he places me back on my feet. “Come on, baby, let’s eat.”
His fingers link with mine as we start for the kitchen, but I stop at the door, gesturing him to go ahead of me. “I’ll be right there.”
“You sure?”
I nod.
He hesitates for another second then disappears behind the doors, giving me the privacy I need.
I turn to my mother’s picture, her beautiful smiling face lighting up my soul. “It’ll always be our dream, Mama, and I promise to make you proud.” Kissing two of my fingers, I press them to her lips. “I love you…forever.”
Grace
Four months later
Pride surges through my chest as my friends and I sit in the new gym, all of us feeling proud for everything our men have accomplished. It’s everything I expected and more. Top-of-the-line exercise equipment sits off to the right, weights in the far back corner to the left while the sparring ring sits before us in the very center.
SEAL Extreme has something for everyone. Whether you want to work out, take a self-defense class, or train. The three of us girls are here along with Katelyn and her cousin for the guys to test out their new self-defense class. Faith is as sweet as Katelyn said she was and I know she is going to fit in great with us.
“We need to hurry up and get this show on the road,” Kayla says. “I’m having baby withdrawals. I need to hold my goddaughter.”
“I miss her, too,” Julia says. “And it’s only been an hour.”
“You probably miss her because that husband of yours is always hogging her. He never shares,” Kayla pouts, making me and everyone else laugh.
It’s true, he does hog her but it’s so beautiful to see. That sweet baby girl has her daddy wrapped around her tiny finger.
“Who’s at the bakery for you, Grace?” Katelyn asks.
“Just Mac at the moment. I’m heading back over there right after I’m done here. I have an interview with a girl from the high school today.”
The bakery has done better than I ever thought it would and I couldn’t be happier, but it’s beyond Mac and me. We need more staff and we need it quickly.
“I’m not sure what kind of help you’re needing, but I’d be more than happy to lend a hand,” Faith says. “At the moment, my evenings and weekends are free.”
My heart warms at her kind offer. “Thank you, Faith. I appreciate it. Why don’t you come by after and we can talk?”
“I’d love to.”
“And you know you have our help if you need it,” Kayla says.
“I do, thank you.”
They have helped out a lot and I appreciate it very much but they have their own jobs and lives. It’s time I hire on more waitresses.
Our conversation ends when the office door opens at the other end of the gym and out walks Sawyer and Jaxson with Cade following close behind. My eyes sweep over the man I’m madly in love with, that ever-present pull between us stronger than ever. His eyes meet mine and he flashes me that sexy wink that has my body temperature rising. We made love just this morning and already I want him again.
“Oh my god,” the words are nothing more than a choked whisper, coming from the left of me.
I look over at Faith, all the color from her face draining.
“What is it, what’s wrong?” Katelyn asks, looking as worried as the rest of us.
Faith pushes to her feet, trying to hide her face. “I have to go. I have to get out of here.”
“What? Why?”
Sawyer comes to a hard stop, his eyes widening on Faith. “Holy shit.”
Kayla, Julia, and I share a look, wondering what the heck is going on.
Faith doesn’t notice Sawyer’s reaction, her head cast down and feet on the move. Cade steps out from behind Sawyer and Jaxson, walking right into Faith’s hasty exit.
The two collide accidentally, Faith slamming into Cade’s hard chest.
“Whoa.” He grabs her shoulders to steady her.
“I’m so sorry, I…” Her words die in her throat as she looks up at Cade with tears streaming down her face, her lips parting in a subtle gasp.
Complete and utter shock adopts Cade’s face for all of one second before his expression turns hard, even harder than usual. “What the fuck are you doing here?” His harsh tone makes her flinch.
She rips from his grasp, a sob falling past her as she runs out of the gym.
“Faith, wait!” Katelyn calls. She glares over at Cade before following her cousin out the door.
“Jax, what’s going on?” Julia asks, walking over to him.
When he makes no effort to answer, I ask Sawyer next but he remains tight-lipped, his eyes only on Cade.
Katelyn eventually walks back in, tears trickling down her cheeks as she stares at Cade. “It was you,” she chokes out. “You’re the ones who pulled her out of hell.”
Oh god.
It all suddenly becomes clear, Katelyn’s cousin, Faith, is the girl they all lived through that torturous week to save.
Turn the page for a letter from the author.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading my second novel in the Men of Honor Series. I hope you enjoyed Sawyer and Grace’s story. My love for the movie Waitress was my inspiration behind Grace’s character. I had so much fun writing her that I decided to do a spin off series on this amazing couple. You can now turn the page for a continuation and the start of something so much sweeter. Sweet Love, book one in the Sweet Series. Or you can buy Cade’s story, Resisting Temptation, book three in the Men of Honor Series which is available now. At the end of this box set you will find a list of all my books and reading order.
Happy reading,
K.C. Lynn
Sweet Love Copyright © 2016 K.C. LYNN
First Edition: 2016
Editing: Wild Rose Editing
Formatting: BB ebooks
Cover Art by: Cover to Cover Designs
Cover Image by: Perrywinkle Photography
Cover Models: Chris and Lauren Anderson
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Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author of this book. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
Warning: Due to mature subject matter, such as explicit sexual situations and coarse language, this story is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.
This book is dedicated to my husband, the man who inspired Sawyer Evans. Loving you has never been hard, but writing Sawyer taught me to embrace and appreciate all the things about you that drive me crazy. It also reminded me why I fell in love with you, because like Sawyer, you say some of the most perfect things that can heal even the saddest wounds. You’ve loved me on my darkest days. You stayed when so many left. Thank you for loving me even when it hasn’t been easy.
This story is for you.
Sawyer
My eyes open just before my alarm goes off, like they do every morning. Reaching over, I hit the button to silence the beeping that’s about to ensue then register the warmth at my back. I turn over with one thought in mind but come to a halt when my gaze meets a pair of dark green eyes—the same color as mine. Not the warm amber ones I was expecting. However, the girl smiling back at me holds just as big of a place in my heart.
“Mornin’, Daddy,” Hope greets me with her megawatt smile that always does funny shit to my chest no matter how many times I see it.
I fake a scowl. “Hey, you’re not my Cupcake.”