Connection (Temptation Series Standalones Book 2)

by K. M. Golland

“No.”

  “Oh. Well… you’re doing a great job. Keep it up.”

  I don’t know why I’m so nervous. Maybe it’s because he’s in one of his quiet man-of-few-words moods. He gets like this sometimes and says it’s because I say enough for us both.

  I’ve yet to figure out if that’s a good thing or not.

  Rowing along the shoreline, I lean back and rest on my hands, admiring the view. The sleeves of his white shirt are rolled up, tight against his biceps, and I’m most thankful as his arms flex delightfully when he rows, the muscles in his neck taut.

  I want to lick them.

  “Elizabeth,” he warns.

  “Yes, William?” I smirk, but I’ve no doubt it’s nowhere near as good as Bryce’s.

  “Stop fucking me with your eyes.”

  “Me?” I touch my chest. “I’d do no such thing.”

  He stops rowing, and we drift, the boat all of sudden rocking more than I’m comfortable with.

  “What are you doing?”

  He goes to stand, steadying himself with his arms, before reaching for the waistband of his shorts. “I’m repaying the favour.”

  “What?”

  “You fuck me, I fuck you.”

  “Will!” I try to tug him back down to sit. “Okay! Stop it! Sit down. Please! I’ll stop eye-fucking you. I promise.”

  He deliberately rocks the boat before sitting, and I scream.

  “Why did I agree to this?”

  “Because I’m very convincing.”

  He is. Too convincing. I need to get on top of that.

  Clasping the oars, he continues to row when the sound of bongo drums and a violin fill the air, the tune overly familiar.

  I tilt my ear toward the sound. “Can you hear that?”

  He nods, a smile lifting the corner of his lip.

  I twist, trying to pinpoint the origin. “It sounds like ‘Kiss the Girl’ from The Little Mermaid.”

  We row around a corner past a weeping willow, the tune growing louder, and I gasp when I spot Derek, Bryce, Alexis, Carly, Charlotte, and Lucy standing on the bank of the lake, all of them dressed as various water creatures.

  Eyes wide, my hand shoots up to cover my mouth. “What on earth?”

  Alexis is a flamingo with her newborn, Brayden, in one arm, a microphone in her other hand. Charlotte is a turtle, also with a microphone in hand. Derek is a crab, again with a microphone. Lucy’s a fish, positioned behind a keyboard. Bryce is a guitar-wielding frog. And Carly is an obnoxious seagull with two Golden Retriever pups on leads.

  I burst into laughter. “Did you do this?”

  He shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  My heart swells; it’s the fakest most pathetic shrug I’ve ever seen in my life.

  Laughing again, I choke and blink back tears as Derek sings about kissing the girl, Alexis and Charlotte on back-up vocals, Carly twisting in circles as the puppies play at her feet.

  “Oh my God!” I point at her. “She got more puppies! She’s insane!” I slap my palm to my head. “She really must miss me.”

  Will belly laughs. “Yeah, she must.”

  Charlotte waves as she dances, so I wave back then cover my face with my hands, peeking through my spread fingers. “I can’t believe you got a billionaire to dress up as a frog.”

  Will puts down the oars, pulls out his phone, and snaps a photo. “I didn’t. Alexis did.” He slides the phone back into his pocket. “That will be used as blackmail one day.”

  “Ooooh.” I laugh. “You’re game.”

  We float in a circle as Derek sings about not being scared and to just kiss the girl, and I blush, waiting for my kiss, when Carly squawks, “Ya ya ya yaaaaa,” just like Scuttle did in the movie.

  The ear-piercing noise echoes across the lake, and I fear she just unintentionally called an entire colony of the things. That, or she’s about to find a mate.

  “A seagull suits her,” Will says.

  Throwing my head back in laughter, I almost roll out of the boat.

  “Whoa, sweetheart.” He steadies me and leans forward, the music dying down as our crazy friends all whisper into the microphone, “Kiss the girl.”

  His eyes meet mine, and he reaches into his pocket. I draw in a breath, my heart pounding so hard I’m scared it’ll beat right through my chest.

  Biting my lip, I blink when he pulls out a piece of chewing gum, unwraps it, and pops it into his mouth. Is he kidding me?

  “Gum?” he offers, holding out the packet.

  I almost frown but stop myself. “No, thanks.” I force a smile but don’t have to try too hard, because—let’s face it—what he’s organised is incredibly sweet.

  The gang whisper again, “Kiss the girl.”

  He cups my jaw and kisses me softly before pulling back. “You ready?”

  My eyes grow wide, my heart hammering once again. “For what?”

  The damn jerk deliberately tips the boat, and we splash into the water, coldness swirling all over my body as I flail to the surface, coughing.

  “Will!” I tread water, only to find it’s shallow enough to stand. “What did you do that for?”

  He flicks water from his head and lunges for me, securing me in his arms as he twirls us in a circle. “I had to make it authentic.”

  Remembering Eric and Ariel did, in fact, end up in the water, I laugh and whack his chest. “You sure did that!”

  Pushing away from him, keen to get to the shore, he secures me once again, holds me tight, and says, “I love you, Elizabeth Hanson. And I told you I’d give you your fairy tale.” He gestures to our crazy friends and the surrounding lake. “This is me doing that.”

  “Oh, Will.” I slide my hands up the back of his neck and pull him to my lips.

  He’s cold but warm, his skin wet and slippery as our hungered mouths ravish one another’s.

  “I can’t believe you watched The Little Mermaid,” I mumble between kisses.

  “Believe it.”

  “How? Where?”

  “At Bryce and Lexis’s. Bryce even tried to make me watch Lady and the Tramp as well. Weirdo.”

  I grab his face and kiss him again, in awe of everything that he is and does. “I love you too, Will.”

  “Get a room!” Alexis calls out.

  Carly whistles.

  Laughing, I flip them the bird.

  “Watch out for the eels!” Charlotte shouts.

  Will pulls back. “Eels?” He looks between us into the murky water. “What is she talking about?”

  Biting back my smile, I keep my voice neutral. “Yeah. Didn’t you know there are eels in here.”

  “Fuck that shit!” He hoists me over his shoulder, and I squeal as he carries me out of the water and places me on solid ground again.

  “I’m kidding.” I laugh. “There are no eels.”

  He glares at the lake as if it’s pulled a swifty on him.

  The gang waddle along the grassy shore toward us, and I crack up laughing again; Derek and Bryce look priceless.

  “You guys are crazy,” I say. “That was excellent!”

  Charlotte runs up to me and gives me a hug. “Did you like my singing, Libby?”

  I release her arms and bend toward her, holding her hands between us. “I did! You sounded just like Ariel.”

  The little joy blushes and turns her hips back and forth, and it’s the cutest thing.

  “Charli-bear, come here,” Alexis says and winks to her daughter.

  Will takes the puppies from Carly and hands me their leads. “Meet our babies.”

  “What?” My mouth falls open, and I drop to my knees. “What are you talking about?” Both puppies wiggle around me, licking and pawing my face. I pick one up, and then the other. “Hi there.” They squirm like giant fluffy worms, and I have to put them down again for fear they’ll squirm right out of my hold.

  Will squats and picks one up, letting it lick his entire face. “We can have babies, sweetheart. They just might have four
legs, or scales, or feathers.”

  “They’re just…. I’m just….” Tears stream down my face. I’m so overwhelmed I can’t even speak. “Are they … brother and sister?

  He shakes his head and smiles. “No. Separate litters.”

  “What are you going to name them?” Charlotte asks.

  “I… I don’t know.”

  She looks up at Alexis. “Mum, I want a puppy.”

  Alexis’s eyes nearly grow wider than her face. “Nooo.”

  “But—”

  “No buts, ratbag.”

  Bryce lifts Charlotte onto his shoulders, and I can’t help but laugh at what is simply a turtle on top of a frog.

  I giggle. “You all look ridiculous.”

  “We know,” Bryce says.

  Continuing to laugh, I apologise for their misfortune. “I’m so sorry.”

  He holds Charlotte firm with one arm then slaps Will on the back. “Well worth it, mate.”

  Will tickles Charlotte’s leg, and she almost knees Bryce in the face. “Beats that time we performed ‘November Rain,’ huh?” He waggles his eyebrows at Bryce.

  Bryce chuckles.

  “Nothing beats ‘November Rain,’” Alexis says.

  “Yeah. At least we didn’t have to wear godawful costumes when we performed that for Lexi.” Derek snaps his claw-like hands and frowns.

  Carly bursts into laughter and points to Derek. “I’ve just realised… I’ve got crabs.”

  We all facepalm.

  After a change of clothes and a picnic lunch by the lake, we headed home and settled the pups, both of them sleeping on the floor beside our bed.

  “So what do you want to call them?” Will asks, spooning me as we watch them snooze.

  I wiggle back and snuggle against him. “I’m going to name the girl Snow White, and the boy Prince.”

  He tightens his grip and nuzzles my ear. “I love the names, sweetheart. They’re perfect.”

  Revelling in his warm body embracing mine, we fall asleep in each other’s arms until I’m woken by a puppy’s whimper sometime in the early hours of the morning.

  “Hey, babies,” I whisper. “It’s okay.” I carefully lift Will’s python arm off my chest.

  He grumbles and snorts but doesn’t wake up.

  Reaching out to turn on the bedside lamp, I pat my fingers on the nightstand in search of the switch until I skate across it and press it down, a soft light illuminating the room and catching the glint of a diamond ring on my finger.

  Blinking all the blinks, I shake my head, scrub my eyes, then hold out my hand before bringing it close to my face. “What. The. Fuck. Is. That?”

  I scrub my eyes again, convinced I must be dreaming. I’m not.

  “Holy shit!” I whisper.

  “Will you marry me?”

  Practically jumping out of my skin, I turn in Will’s direction. He’s lying on his side, head propped up by his hand, his eyes mischievous but timid as they search mine.

  I snap my head to look at the ring again, then back at him, my mouth agape. “When did you—?”

  His smug smile grows. “Well… will you?”

  “Y-Yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”

  Lunging into his arms, I sob as he catches me then rolls us until I’m on my back and he’s hovering over me, his eyes gleaming as they roam my face, his thumb playing with my bottom lip.

  He looks hot as sin and teddy-bear cute all at once, and I can’t believe this is my life. That I’m happy and now engaged to the man of my dreams, dreams I never knew were possible.

  “Yes, William,” I say, blinking back tears. “I’ll marry you.”

  “I’m gonna spend every waking moment making you the happiest princess alive.”

  I nod and blink again. “And what about the non-waking moments?”

  “Those too. Every damn moment of every damn day, sweetheart. From here on in, it’s just you and me… and Snow White, Prince, Molly, Casper…”

  Laughing, I skate my fingers down the sides of his face and grip his chin. “Kiss the girl, fiancé.”

  Eyes glimmering, he slowly lowers his lips to mine, sealing our engagement with the softest of kisses. A wave of warmth and insurmountable joy crashes over me, and I giggle and hug him tight, peeking over his shoulder at the stunning diamond on my finger.

  “It’s a princess cut,” I say.

  He scoffs, as if there was no other choice. “Of course.”

  The puppies bark, and I drape my hand over the side of the bed, my fingers soon gobbled up in slobber and sharp teeth. I have everything I’ve ever wanted: the perfect guy, the perfect job, a home, and kids. Animal-kids.

  Often, our fairy tale can seem out of reach, but the magic of fairy tales is what we make of them, because we’re all princesses, with or without a prince.

  I’m just lucky I finally found mine.

  Epilogue

  “Is it too much?” I ask Carly, Fiona, and Alexis as I twirl my Cinderella-inspired wedding gown, silk, tule, and shimmering chiffon swishing as I spin one way and then the next.

  Fi playfully rolls her eyes. “Yes.”

  “No!” Alexis places her hands on my shoulders and turns me to face the mirror. “It’s not. It’s almost perfect.”

  “Almost?”

  “You’re missing one thing.”

  “Oh! Of course! My tiara!” I hoist up my dress and skip to the bedside table in the bridal suite of City Manor, a 19th century homestead that Bryce bought a little over a year ago.

  Nestled among pristine rose gardens and perfectly manicured hedges, City Manor sits on a generous allotment on the city’s fringe. When Bryce showed us his new acquisition with the intent to bring a country escape to the city, I couldn’t believe my luck. It was absolutely perfect. Mystical, magical… a fairy tale castle in a fairy tale setting.

  Collecting the delicate crystal tiara in my hand, I bite my lip. “I completely forgot to give this to the hairdresser to put in my hair. I’m such an idiot.”

  “Here.” Carly takes it from me. “I’ll do it.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She points to her head. “This doesn’t just happen. It takes skill and know-how.”

  “But you didn’t do your hair, Carls. The hairdresser did.”

  She scoffs. “Not today, I didn’t. But every other day, I do.”

  I look to Alexis and Fi for support, and they quickly turn around and busy themselves.

  Carly huffs. “Just stand still. I’ve got you. Haven’t I always got you?”

  Tears prick my eyes, and I’m not sure if it’s because of the tiara now digging into my scalp or because of my best friend’s words.

  “Yes,” I whisper. “You have always got me. And I know I don’t tell you this enough, but I’m so thankful you do.”

  She studies the top of my head before glancing down at me face, her smoky eyes glassy. “Don’t you dare cry, Labia. You’re ugly when you cry. You can’t be ugly today.”

  I choke on my teary laugh and splutter, “Bitch.”

  Carly plumps my red curls to sit on my shoulders then steps back, holding me at arm’s length. “There. Almost perfect.”

  “Almost? Why do you both keep saying ‘almost’?”

  She glances at Alexis, who steps up to me with a white box.

  “We thought you should wear these,” Alexis says.

  Curious, I take the box, lower myself onto the corner of the bed, and open it to find one Jimmy Choo replica glass slipper.

  “Oh my God!” I shriek. “Are these Cinderella’s—?”

  “Yes!” Alexis nods like a maniac, her teeth almost brighter than the crystals on the expensive and overly extravagant high heel.

  “But…” I suspend the shoe, rotating it in my hand.

  Hundreds of tiny crystals embellish the entire satin surface, accentuated by a large crystal flower motif on the toe. I’m almost afraid to touch it for fear it’ll smash in my hand.

  “H-How?” I stutter. “Hang on, wait!” I lift the
tissue paper in the box. “Where’s the other one?”

  Alexis takes the stiletto from me, lowers to her knee, and slips it onto my foot. “Where do you think it is?”

  I wrack my brain for the smallest of seconds before recognition dawns. “Will!” I laugh. “Of course he has it.”

  Carly smiles then collects three bouquets and hands one to Fi and one to Alexis. They all turn to me, each of them stunning in powder-blue, body-hugging gowns.

  “Are you ready?” Carly asks

  “No. How am I going to walk down the aisle in one shoe?”

  “If Cinderella can do it, so can you.”

  “You’re right,” I say, standing up. I point my shoe-covered toe. “Okay, let’s do this.”

  Gathering up my dress, I hobble toward the door when it opens, and Dad pops his head in, Mum not so reserved as she barges past him.

  “Come on, Elizabeth. Everyone’s waiting.” She gives Fi an awkward glance. “Izzy has emptied her basket of rose petals already, and poor Charlotte keeps picking them up and putting them back in for her.”

  Alexis laughs. “Is my daughter fussing over minor perfections?”

  Both Mum and Dad say, “Yes.”

  She laughs again. “That’s my girl.”

  Fi, Mum, Alexis, and Carly file out of the room, and as I’m about to follow them, Dad lets go of the door and gently places his hands on my shoulders.

  “My princess—” He clears his throat. “—you look beautiful.”

  I slide my arms around his waist. “Thanks, Dad. I feel beautiful.”

  “Whether you feel it or not, you always are and always have been.”

  Tears once again prick my eyes, and I inwardly curse them. “Stop it. You’re making me cry.”

  He reaches into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulls out a handkerchief, then gently dabs the tip of it to the corners of my eyes.

  “Thank you. Thank you for always having faith in me to find what I was looking for in my own time.”

  “I’ve always had faith in you, darling. Your life is your own. It always has been, and it always will be.” He pockets the hankie again. “Now, let’s get you married to your prince.”

  Holding out his arm, I loop mine around his and walk beside him.

  He stops. “Why are you limping?”