Top Notch (Man on Top Book 1)

by Nicole Richard

  Eric handed me my beer and my stomach started to grumble.

  “Do you mind watching my things for a minute? I’m gonna head up and grab something to eat. Anyone want anything?” I asked Julianne as I pushed to my feet.

  “NO!” the four of them barked, rather loudly and all at once. I fell back stiffly into my seat, almost missing it entirely.

  “Why not?” My voice shook, a little scared as to why I couldn’t grab some chicken fingers and fries. The inning hadn’t started yet and there were usually a few guys at bat before Levi.

  “Sorry about that.” Julianne tapped my hand, trying to calm my racing heart. “It’ll be a madhouse up there. Besides, you’ll ruin your appetite for dinner.”

  Really! What, was I five? I laughed to myself. Ruin my appetite. Did she not know I could eat—a lot?

  “Okay. I guess I can wait.” Confused, I eyed each of them, Addie looking the guiltiest.

  I wished Gabby was here.

  Hoping to curb some of my hunger, I peeled back the tab from my beer and took a small sip. Eric handed me a bag of Cracker Jacks, his eyes holding a sincere apology.

  “Thank you.” I took the overpriced bag of caramel popcorn from his hands and dug right in.

  Ignoring the beginning of my hunger pangs, the ones that wanted real sustenance, I kept my eyes focused on the game and ate my snack.

  Levi stood in the on-deck circle, practicing his swing while Trevor waited for his pitch. I smiled, thinking about that day he had given those tickets to Spencer with the intention of me being his guest. I was actually sitting in the same exact seat and wondered how he pulled it off.

  Trevor swung, hitting a pop-up. It curved back and over the net. The crowd scrambled, hoping to be the lucky recipient. I glanced over to the large screen to see a boy about twelve or so holding the ball up, a wide smile on his face.

  Trevor took another swing making it to second base unscathed.

  “Whatever it Takes” came on over the loudspeaker system and I kept my eyes locked on Levi as he swaggered to the box. I swear this unbelievable man was extra sexy only when I was in the stands.

  First hit and it was out of the park. A home run. We were all on our feet, cheering as he blazed through the bases and of course it wouldn’t be Levi if he didn’t bring it home by sliding into home plate.

  “That’s my boy!” Eric cheered, and Julianne grabbed her husband’s arm, excited.

  “That was awesome!” Addie sighed and sat back in her seat.

  Knowing my man was done hitting for a bit, I gazed around, distracted by the vendors, wondering what kind of fun entertainment they had planned for the seventh-inning stretch.

  And before I knew it, a music video started playing on the large screen. I had heard the song before but couldn’t place it. There were couples talking about how they first met and then it came to me. The music video was “Marry Me” by Train. I sighed happily. Some lucky lady or person I should say was going to leave this stadium engaged, if all went well. I watched the video, smiling, waiting to see what was going to happen, where the proposal was going to take place, when Julianne nudged me and pointed to the field.

  Levi stood in the on-deck circle and when he realized he had my attention, he called me with his index finger. I looked from his mom to his dad and then to his sister and her husband, my face questioning what was happening.

  “Go on. He’s waiting for you,” Julianne whispered, and my heart rate spiked.

  On shaky legs, I made it down the few flights of stairs where Levi waited for me. He carried me over the metal pipe fencing and walked me to the circle.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, my eyes doing a quick panoramic scan of all the people in the stadium, the music video still playing in the background.

  Levi held both my hands while his loving gaze was locked on me. “Rowan, angel. I love you.”

  “I love you too,” I whispered loud enough for him to hear.

  “That makes me a very happy man. You make me a very happy man, but—” He lowered himself to one knee and tears filled my eyes.

  “Oh, my, gosh,” I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth, only then realizing this was all for me. This grand gesture from this simple man—was all for me.

  Someone in the crowd yelled, “Say yes!” And I had half a mind to think it was RJ—per Addie’s order.

  Levi smiled. He pulled a black box from his front pocket and revealed an exquisite cushion-cut diamond ring. “I’d be an even happier man if you said yes. Marry me?”

  “I would love nothing more than to be your wife.” I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled him to his feet. I stood on tiptoes until my lips reached his. “I can’t believe you did all this.”

  “I’d do anything for you, angel. I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  With his happy, boyish smile, he tugged on the end of one of my braids and wasted no time lowering his mouth to mine. He wrapped his arm around my waist the same time he pushed his tongue past my lips. It was a good thing the crowd around us was hollering and cheering or they would’ve heard the moans I couldn’t contain.

  Giddy and the happiest I had ever been, we finally separated from our kiss. I rested my cheek to Levi’s chest, my arms around his waist not ready to let go, catching the last of the music video and a picture of Levi and me with the text reading “Congratulations to the future Mr. and Mrs. Levi Montgomery!”

  THE END

  I hope you enjoyed reading Top Notch.

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  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Thank you for reading Top Notch. It’s been a long time coming, and I’m so excited to be starting this new series, and for all of you to read it.

  Thank you to my fabulous betas Cattigan, Kim, Kristin, Heather and Jennifer for your invaluable input. You ladies rock!

  To my alpha, Anna, thank you for all the back and forth we did with this book. You have no idea how many mental breakdowns you saved me from.

  Thank you to my editing team, Karen Lawson, Ellie McLove and Julie Deaton for your expertise and making Top Notch the best it could be.

  Kelly Gaffney Fountain, you may not realize it, but you reaching out and chatting with me through DM’s was pivotal (in my mind at least lol) in unlocking details I might have otherwise overlooked. Thank you, girl!

  Stephanie, thank you for your friendship and continued support.

  Thank you to Tanya, More Than Words Graphic Design for bringing my cover vision to life.

  Thank you to Stacey, Champagne Book Design for always making the insides of our books look so dang pretty.

  Thank you Candi/Candi Kane PR, it’s been a pleasure working with you. I look forward to working with you on future projects.

  To the bloggers and readers! From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for all your support. Without you, we would only have words that never see the light of day.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Born and raised in the Aloha state of Hawaii, Nicole resides just minutes from her childhood home with her husband and two young, adult children when they decide to come home on breaks.

  A hopeless romantic at heart, Nicole pens sexy and sweet Hero’s with a side of cocky and the strong, independent women who can handle them.

  When Nicole isn’t writing, she’s probably at her day job lost in thought, dreaming up new stories and characters while sipping her favorite sugar-free vanilla latte.

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  Next in the Man On Top series

  Hatch and Gabby

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