Secrets of the World's Worst Matchmaker

by Piper Rayne

  “I forgive you, but let me get the ring on your finger.”

  She pulls back, watching me take her left ringer finger and slide the round diamond with a silver band on her finger. She takes my head in her hands and rests her forehead to mine. “Do you think they’ll feed us at the hospital?”

  “You’re hungry?”

  “It was a very emotional day,” she says.

  An hour later, she gets her release papers.

  “You do realize you ruined my proposal?” I say as we walk out of the hospital room.

  “Want to do it over again?”

  Kingston turns the corner and smiles when he sees us in the hallway. “What’s up? Glad to see it was only a minor injury.”

  I shake his hand. “Yeah, she’s pretty lucky.”

  Kingston widens his stance, crossing his arms. “I have a question for you.”

  “Kingston, she needs her rest.” I attempt to move us around him.

  Kingston raises his one hand, ignoring me. “Before you guys go play doctor and nurse, I want to know why you were driving southbound?”

  Juno looks at me. Now she knows I was coming back for her.

  “Did you really think I could disappear without fighting for you?” I ask her.

  She leans into me, pressing her cheek to my chest. “It’s so unfair to all the women in the world that I get this guy. But I’m not trading him for anything.” Juno hugs me tighter.

  “You guys are getting sickeningly sweet,” Kingston says.

  “Get ready for those cavities then.” Juno takes my hand and leads us down the hallway.

  Kingston says he can take us out the ambulance way, so we don’t have to go through the busy waiting room. Just as the doors open to the outside, a nurse comes out of the room to the right, losing her footing. Kingston grabs her arms to keep her from falling.

  “Hey, thanks.” The nurse looks Kingston up and down, clearly liking what she sees.

  He nods and watches as she continues down the hall. We walk out the sliding doors, but Kingston stays inside. “I’ll catch you two later.”

  “Bye, Kington,” we say in unison, knowing what direction that situation is headed.

  We walk toward my car.

  “Why do you put up with me?” she asks.

  I chuckle and kiss her temple. “It was never a choice. It’s just always been you.”

  “Me what?” she asks.

  “The one who lives in my dreams.”

  She stops us. “It’s always been you too, you know that, right? I might’ve masked it, but it’s always been you in my dreams.”

  “I know.”

  “You do?”

  “Do you think I’d waste my life chasing you if I didn’t?”

  She kisses me gently and I hold my head to hers, deepening our kiss.

  “You better be ready for me now that you caught me. You might want to throw me back one day.”

  I bring my lips to hers again, murmuring, “Not on your life.”

  Epilogue

  Colton

  One month later

  * * *

  I return home to find Juno sitting on the kitchen table in the same silk robe she wore that day her family came in and ruined her surprise for me. Her bag sits on one chair and her papers are piled in the corner of the table. Since Juno moved in a month ago, my house isn’t as neat and orderly as it once was, but I don’t care. All I care about is that she’s with me every day.

  “I thought we were picking our honeymoon destination tonight,” I say.

  She giggles. “We will later. Naked. In bed.” She opens her legs and it’s déjà vu all over again. “This is the redo I owe you.”

  Her ring sparkles in the light and I drop my bag, walking over and picking her up. “God, I love you.”

  She giggles until I ease her down on the floor by the fridge.

  We’re planning to get married next month. It was Juno’s choice to have a winter wedding because she wanted to be my wife as soon as possible. I think she might be kissing my ass a little, but that’s okay. As long as she’s all right with being my wife and living with me, it’s good enough for me.

  “Cherry or strawberry?” I tease her lips with the fruit I pull out of the fridge.

  “Colton, you have to strip.”

  “Oh shit, I forgot.” I stand and toe out of my shoes, strip off my shirt, and get rid of my pants.

  “Boxers too this time,” she says.

  I push them down my legs, getting naked for her while she takes the champagne and pours it down her front.

  “Are we skipping over the eating part?” I ask her.

  “You can eat me if you want.” She falls onto her back.

  She has to be kidding me—of course I want. But there’s another part of the movie she’s forgetting. I put my hand over the ice dispenser until an ice cube comes out. She looks up and says nothing, her back arching as though she wants it.

  I melt it slightly in my mouth and bend over, trailing the ice cube over her stomach, around her nipples, and up her throat. She moans and squirms underneath me.

  Picking up a cherry by the stem, I hang it in front of her mouth, and she bites it off the stem. Her hand travels down my chest, palming my hard length. This is what I’ve fantasized all day about—having her under me. When I trail what’s left of the ice cube to her mound, her hand flies up behind her and hits the cupboard. A few of her business cards fall from the counter to the floor beside us.

  “I forgot to ask, how was SparkFinder today?”

  Juno’s back at matchmaking, but most of her business meetings are held in town at Brewed Awakenings instead of in an actual office. Funny that she enjoys the pink mobile now since it lets her travel to the neighboring towns and hold events there or meet with clients who have called her.

  “No business talk.” She grabs my head and pulls me down to her. “It’s not like I’m asking you how many pussies you’re petting every day.” I laugh, but she rolls me over, straddling me. “I think we were like this when we got interrupted.”

  She rocks back and forth, and without the friction of undergarments, the sensation makes my eyes roll back in my head. “Yeah, I think so too.” I place my hands on her breasts. “I think my hands were here.”

  “If memory serves, yeah.” She rises up and guides me into her. “And I think you were just like that.” She moans.

  “You might have been rocking,” I remind her.

  Then all jokes are put aside because we’re both moaning our pleasure. Seeing that ring shining on her hand as she rides me takes me to the edge a lot faster these days. She rocks, digging her pelvis into mine as though she’s looking for friction, so I take one hand and play with her clit as she rides me.

  “I’m almost there. Don’t stop.” As if I would, she holds my wrist, riding me with wanton abandonment.

  “Yoo hoo!” Dori’s voice sounds out like the nightmare it is in this moment.

  Juno stills then gets off me with wide eyes. “Didn’t you lock the door?” she whisper-shouts.

  I nod.

  “I thought you got the key?”

  “So did I.”

  We hide behind the island just like last time. Fucking hell.

  “Again, you two?” Dori shakes her head. “Get in the car. Kingston was in an accident at work. They assure me it’s nothing serious, but we should go.”

  Juno tense beside me and I ask, “You sure he’s okay?”

  “I’m telling you what they told me. I’m sure they wouldn’t lie.”

  “Okay, let us get dressed. Grandma, you really have to start calling first,” Juno says.

  She shoos us with her hand. “I’m the reason you two are together, don’t forget it.”

  And because she’s kind of right, I keep my mouth shut and don’t ask her for the key back—again.

  Most of the other Baileys are already in the waiting room when we arrive at the Anchorage hospital, since Dori waited for us to shower after I informed her that I could drive us. A
pparently, that was her plan all along since Duke dropped her off at our place. I’ll be happy when she’s out of our business and on to another Bailey.

  Juno beelines it over to pick up Easton, who adores her just as much as he adores his parents.

  “Where’s Phoenix?” Grandma Dori asks Griffin.

  “She’s coming. She’s picking Sedona up at the airport,” Griffin says.

  “Sedona’s coming home?” It’s hard to surprise that woman but she looks genuinely shocked by the news.

  Griffin shrugs.

  “How long is she visiting for?” Savannah asks.

  Griffin shrugs again.

  Dori goes to the nurses’ station and talks to someone, but they say it’ll be awhile before Kingston can have visitors, since they’re getting him settled.

  “I don’t get it, what happened?” I ask Austin.

  “I guess he fell down a flight of stairs in the middle of the fire. But his chief just came over here and said he was fine when they brought him in. Maybe a concussion at worst. Doesn’t seem to have broken anything.”

  I sit down next to him. “That’s good, I guess.” But I know Kingston’s gonna be pissed if he’s out of action for a while.

  Trina, the nurse who helped me when Juno was here last month from the car accident, comes out of the back. Juno’s too busy with Easton to notice, so I stand to talk to her.

  “Do you remember me?”

  She smiles. “I do. You’re Kingston’s friend.”

  “I am. Any chance we can see him?”

  She looks over and cringes at the big family the big group. “Let me call back and see. Maybe half of you at a time?”

  “Sure thing. Thanks.”

  She calls back then says the doctor says it’s okay, that they’re waiting on X-rays and MRI results.

  “Half of us can go see him,” I announce.

  Everyone starts talking at the same time until finally it’s decided that Dori, Juno, Savannah, and I will go first. We walk into the back, Juno’s hand in mine. She might not say it, but I think being back here brings her back to when she thought she might lose me. Hell, seeing some of the other injuries from that accident made me happy hers weren’t more serious.

  Kingston seems surprised when we walk into the room. There’re two nurses at his side, talking to him.

  “Hey, guys,” he says in a quiet voice.

  The nurses each say goodbye with a wave, mentioning their shift is done.

  We talk to him about what happened, and he says he’s pretty sure he has a mild concussion, but they’re going to run some more tests to be sure. As Juno and Dori talk to him, I try to get into Dori’s purse to get my key back.

  “Get out of my purse. Your key is always in a safe place.” Dori pats her chest.

  My mouth hangs open. She’s got to be kidding me.

  Then I hear someone come in the room behind us. “Hi, I’m the resident overseeing you today.” She scribbles on the board then turns around. “How’s the pain? Anything I can get you?”

  Kingston’s face loses all color. “Stella? Jesus, how hard did I hit my head?”

  She steps back. “Kingston.”

  Juno looks at me and I nod, agreeing with her without her having to say a word. Let’s get the hell out of here.

  “Stella dear.” Grandma Dori steps toward her and hugs her.

  “Hi, Dori,” she says, her eyes only on Kingston. “I’ll be right back.”

  Kingston tries to get up, but cringes and his hand moves to his head.

  Savannah pushes him back down on the bed by the shoulder. “You can’t get up.”

  “But—”

  “I’ll go so someone else can come in.” I dodge out of the room before an argument starts and walk down the hall.

  In the waiting room, Austin stands and says he’ll take my place.

  “There’s Phoenix and Sedona.” Holly points down the hall, and everyone stands to greet them.

  Before we get a chance to say our hellos, Sedona unbuttons her coat. “Let’s just get this out of the way.” She stands sideways, her hands running over her swollen belly.

  My mouth drops open and silence fills the waiting room for a few weighted moments.

  “You’re pregnant?” Brooklyn screeches.

  “No, she ate a watermelon,” Phoenix says. “And she’s moving back home.”

  Everyone looks at one another to gauge if anyone else knew, but it’s clear that Phoenix and maybe Griffin are the only ones in the loop.

  “Finally!” Harley screams and rushes over to Sedona. “I’m pregnant with someone.” She bumps stomachs with her.

  As if someone alerted them that there was a disturbance in the Bailey force, Savannah and Juno walk back into the waiting area and stop dead in their tracks.

  “Does G’Ma D know?” Denver asks.

  “No,” Sedona says with a frown.

  “She’s about to,” Rome says under his breath.

  “Did you plan to reveal this in the hospital in case we actually kill her this time around?” Denver asks.

  “No.” Some of Sedona’s earlier bravado vanishes.

  “Well, I’m just saying kudos if you did because she’s dealt with a lot from us, but this.” He twirls his finger at her belly and shakes his head.

  “Next time she wants your opinion, I’ll remind her she doesn’t,” Phoenix says to him, putting her arm around Sedona as if she’s a wounded bird.

  Huh. There must be a lot more we don’t know yet.

  “A child is a blessing,” Harley says. “No matter the circumstances.”

  As if she knows the tension needs to be broken, Calista walks up to Denver. “Uncle Denver, let’s play thumb wars.”

  “Sure thing, little one.” He puts his hand in hers, and a moment later, he looks at Sedona. “I’m sorry. You know we have your back and that baby is lucky to have you as a mom.” He leans closer. “But should I book a flight to New York?”

  A tear slips from Sedona’s eye.

  “I’ll take that as a yes,” he says, looking at all the men in the group as though they’re paying Jamison a visit.

  “Just to keep everyone in the loop, Stella is back too.” Savannah takes Brinley from Liam, rocking her on her hip.

  They all look at one another as though they’re bracing themselves for hurricane Bailey that’s about to make landfall.

  Go on a trip back in time.

  CLICK HERE to READ Juno and Colton’s TWO Bonus Scenes NOW!

  With Stella back in Alaska, Kingston will do anything to make her stay but what will he do when he finds out they’re in the same predicament they were eight years ago.

  CLICK HERE to RESERVE your copy NOW!

  * * *

  Chapter One

  Kingston

  I’m an easygoing guy. Not a lot gets under my skin.

  My dad was a man of many quotes. At least when it came to me. Looking back I think it’s because I was the sensitive one in the family. He’d say he wasn’t clever enough to come up with them on his own, so he never recited one without giving the author credit. “Don’t fight a battle if you don’t gain anything by winning” by Erwin Rommel was his favorite to use when I was struggling. Didn’t matter if it was sports or academics, he’d say that quote to me. I didn’t figure out the meaning until years after his death, and even then, my oldest brother, Austin, had to explain it to me.

  There was a time in my life when I didn’t fight the battle because I was more afraid of losing something than winning something. I promised myself I’d never make that mistake again.

  Which is most likely why the battles I pick now are fires. Whether I’m jumping out of a plane and parachuting into a forest fire, or carrying someone out of a burning house, I always win. These fights feel safer than the ones that could break my heart.

  Lou climbs into the firetruck right after me, sitting across the way. The sirens go off as the truck rolls out of the station. Lou and I attended the fire academy at the same time—which was right ar
ound the time I lost my childhood best friend and the girl I love.

  “Romeo, tell your sister thanks for me,” he says, winking.

  A woman once referred to me as her knight in shining armor after I used the Jaws of Life to free her from a wrecked car. She’d plowed her car over an embankment because she was intoxicated. But it was her repeatedly asking me to be her Romeo that earned me a nickname that makes most people—and by people, I mean women—think I’m a player. I’m not, in case you’re wondering.

  “Why is that?”

  “For the blind speed date thing she’s doing over at Tipsy Turvy.” His perma-smile says he met someone.

  “Oh, yeah, I missed that. I had to work.”

  Lou’s eyebrows raise. “Is that what we’re calling it? Work?”

  Monk blares the siren because people are shitty and can’t take a second to pull their car to the side of the road for us to get through.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I glance out the window because I’m in a crappy mood. Lou is riding high after his speed dating night and I just don’t feel like hearing about it. I’m a shitty friend.

  “Proby wan Kenobi was at the hospital and overheard Samantha talking about a date you two went on.”

  I roll my eyes. Samantha’s a flirt, and yeah, I went out with her because I was horny. I know that’s not a noble thing to say, but my dick is starting to get excited any time it sees my hand. Doesn’t matter though. Nothing happened.

  “We went out,” I admit.

  “And?”

  Lou’s the kiss-and-tell guy. I’m not. “Nothing. We had some drinks.”

  For most of the night, Samantha and I discussed this Adventure Alaska Expedition she’s interested in. I guess she does Spartan races all the time and the next thing she wants to conquer is some seven-day adventure race where you’re with three other people and have to navigate with only physical maps. I will say her excitement, and adrenaline, is a high for me. She didn’t wince when we talked about me heli-skiing and speed riding down a mountain. She said it sounded thrilling and she’d love to go sometime. That she loves crazy shit like I do upped her attractive level by ten.