“This was better.” Abby slides her hand to mine, locking fingers with me. “In front of your whole family. More fun than with strangers.”
“More embarrassing for me if you’d said no.” I tighten our hand-clasp. “Strangers would sympathize, but my family would never let it go. They’d critique. Hold up cards with numbers to show how I did.”
Abby laughs, bumping into me. “Your family is great.”
My brothers aren’t bad, I agree, when they decide to be decent guys. Right now they’re talking to Abby’s mom and her new husband. I remember Abby’s mom from when we were kids, a dynamic woman with a big smile. She and Abby are much alike.
Calandra is hiking across the yard toward us, dragging Ryan behind her. He doesn’t look all that unhappy about being pulled around by his wife. The macho big brother who never needed anybody has been felled by love.
Calandra plants herself in front of us, her face lit by the spotlights around the pool. “Hi. I won the argument. You get to be the first to know.”
“I didn’t argue that hard,” Ryan says. “But you get to explain it to Mom.”
Calandra’s broad smile holds excitement. “We’re going to have a baby.”
Abby drops my hand. She squeals. She rushes at Calandra and they hug, clinging hard to each other. Ryan’s eyes are misty as he watches Calandra.
I grab Ryan’s hand and pump his arm up and down. “Congratulations, bro. That didn’t take long.”
“We were going to wait, but, um, well …” Ryan goes about three shades of red, and I bust up laughing.
“I always knew you couldn’t keep it in your pants.” I clap Ryan on the shoulder then pull him into a bear hug. “Seriously, dude, that’s awesome. I get to be an uncle.”
I’m making fun of Ryan, but it’s not like Abby and I have kept away from each other. She’s slept at my house, or I’ve stayed at her apartment, and we aren’t watching television, trust me. My bed has a new hollow in the middle, but it fits us just fine.
Abby’s moving in with me at the end of next week and will start at McLaughlin Renovations as soon as she’s settled into my house. Means I get to wake up with her every morning, have breakfast—probably after more sex—head into the office … I’m looking forward to it.
Abby and Calandra finally let each other go, wiping their eyes.
“I wanted to tell you first, not just because Abby’s my best friend,” Calandra says. “But so you two can slip away and be alone, like I know you’re jonesing to.”
Now Abby is several shades of red. “No way—this party is for us. And my mom’s here.”
“And we’re about to upstage you. So go on. Enjoy it.” Calandra flutters her fingers at Abby as though she’s bestowing a gift.
Calandra and Ryan walk away, hand in hand, ready to spring their news on the unsuspecting family. Ryan nearly bounces across the lawn. I’ve never seen the man so happy.
“She’s trying to make up for the fact that she and Ryan didn’t spend their engagement having sex,” Abby says. “Well, not the entire engagement. They were hitting it plenty whenever they were speaking to each other.”
“Yeah, I remember the drama. The ups, the downs. Like a storm that moves where you don’t expect.”
“To be fair, Ryan could be a pain in the ass sometimes. No offense,” Abby adds quickly.
“None taken. You’re right.” I watch my brother pull Calandra close as they approach my parents and hers. “He drove me bat-crap crazy. We’re not like them.” I slide my arm around Abby’s waist, let my hand drift downward. “We’re a perfect couple.”
Abby slants me a look from her sexy eyes. “Sure about that?”
“Yep. We’re in love, we have sex every time we can … Calandra’s nice to give us the opportunity. All the waiting is … tense.”
Her smile lights her face. “You mean once we marry, we’ll have sex every night?”
“That’s my plan.” I take in her mirth and flush. “I mean, if it’s your plan too. I’m not an asshole.”
Abby snakes her fingers around the lapels of my shirt and pulls me to her. “I plan to have my wicked way with you, whenever and however often I can. You okay with that?”
Instead of waiting for an answer, she plants a long kiss on my mouth, one that has me hot and wanting in no time flat.
“It’s a five minute drive to my house,” I murmur.
“I know.”
I kiss Abby on the mouth again, she tasting like sugar and everything nice.
Across the yard, my mom and Calandra’s erupt into screeches of joy. My dad, always quiet, bestows on them a big smile. Austin lets out a whoop that can be heard the length and breadth of the neighborhood. Ben flashes an excited smile. He draws near Erin, who was also invited, but halts a few steps from of her, as though there’s a barrier between them.
Abby squeezes my hand. “Calandra’s right. We’ve been upstaged. I say we go.”
“Sounds good.”
We flee. No one notices but Ben as Abby and I sneak off like teenagers, jump in my truck and glide away, laughing together.
We make it home without anyone texting or calling and reaming us out. We’re up the stairs and to my room—our room now—moonlight pouring in and turning the air silver.
Abby’s body is gorgeous as she strips, she undulating in a little dance, like we’d done on our first one-night stand. I catch her, her skin warm, and press kisses all over her.
In no time at all, we’re on the bed, me inside her, she touching my face and making soft sounds of pleasure. Both of our voices rise in volume as we make love as hard as we can, the cool moonlight sliding over us.
Abby’s eyes are soft, her smile all for me. This woman came back into my life and healed it, and this time, I’m never letting her go.
* * *
Ben
I’m the only one who sees Abby and Zach run off into the night. I’m glad for my brother—the grouchy shit has found some happiness at last.
I’m glad for Ryan too—his announcement that he’s going to be a dad has turned the party into a huge celebration.
Erin is excited for them, bouncing on her toes. She moves with grace no matter what she does. She clicks a mouse with a precision that’s like music, and I could watch her sort mail all day.
I am so screwed.
Erin’s a temp, and I know one day she’ll go. She loves dancing, and she’ll let nothing keep her from it. She’ll say good-bye, and the agency will send another secretary, and that will be that.
So, I’m going to enjoy being near her as long as I can. Maybe I’ll drum up the courage to ask her out. Maybe. She’ll turn me down probably, but hey, a geek has to try.
And I will.
One day.
The family cheers again, and Erin looks over at me, flashing me her warm smile, her eyes lighting up behind her glasses.
Like I said … screwed.
* * *
Thank you for reading! Don’t miss Why Don’t You Stay? … Forever, Ben and Erin’s story, Book 2 in the McLaughlin Brothers series.
Also by Jennifer Ashley
The McLaughlin Brothers
(Contemporary Romance)
This Changes Everything
Why Don’t You Stay? … Forever
Never Say Never
Give Me One Night
Riding Hard
(Contemporary Romance)
Adam
Grant
Carter
Tyler
Ross
Kyle
Ray
Snowbound in Starlight Bend
Shifters Unbound
(paranormal romance)
Pride Mates
Primal Bonds
Bodyguard
Wild Cat
Hard Mated
Mate Claimed
“Perfect Mate” (novella)
Lone Wolf
Tiger Magic
Feral Heat
Wild Wolf
Bear Attraction
; Mate Bond
Lion Eyes
Bad Wolf
Wild Things
White Tiger
Guardian’s Mate
Red Wolf
Midnight Wolf
Tiger Striped
A Shifter Christmas Carol
Iron Master
Shifter Made ("Prequel" short story)
The Mackenzies Series
(Historical Romance)
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage
The Many Sins of Lord Cameron
The Duke’s Perfect Wife
A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift
The Seduction of Elliot McBride
The Untamed Mackenzie
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie
Scandal and the Duchess
Rules for a Proper Governess
The Stolen Mackenzie Bride
A Mackenzie Clan Gathering
Alec Mackenzie’s Art of Seduction
The Devilish Lord Will
A Rogue Meets a Scandalous Lady
A Mackenzie Yuletide
(in print in A Mackenzie Clan Christmas)
Stormwalker
(w/a Allyson James)
Stormwalker
Firewalker
Shadow Walker
“Double Hexed”
Nightwalker
Dreamwalker
Dragon Bites
About the Author
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Jennifer Ashley has written more than 100 published novels and novellas in romance, urban fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction under the names Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner. Jennifer's books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and have earned starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly and Booklist. When she isn’t writing, Jennifer enjoys playing music (guitar, piano, flute), reading, hiking, and building dollhouse miniatures.
More about Jennifer’s books can be found at
http://www.jenniferashley.com
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This Changes Everything
McLaughlin Brothers, Book 1
Copyright © 2020 by Jennifer Ashley
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer's imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All Rights are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author.
Cover design by Kim Killion
This Changes Everything: McLaughlin Brothers, Book 1 Page 10