Time For Love Box Set

by Karen Deen

  Saying goodbye, we make promises to make a date for the next dinner. Jessie and I have already programmed in each other’s phones and connected on all our social media. Luckily Kane had been the responsible one with the drinking because there is no way I could drive. Lying back in my seat as he drives us home in my happy alcohol-fueled mood, I start to giggle. Kane looks at me, smiling even though he has no idea what I’m laughing at.

  “What’s so funny, Lil, care to share?” He keeps checking on me and then eyes back on the road.

  “You knew Jessie would smooth it over for you, didn’t you? Girls are better at talking than boys. We talk a different language.” Again, my giggle kicks in. “Like Adam, he didn’t know how to talk about it, he just wanted to punch you. Now you’re besties. Men are so hopeless. Lucky you have us strong women to sort you out and take control.”

  “Is that right? You think you’re in control now, do you little one?” Kane looks at me with intensity.

  We pull into the garage of his building.

  “Just saying it how it is. Of course us women are in control.” I give him the flirtiest smile I can, hoping I have him hook, line and sinker.

  “Upstairs, Red. Time to bring rule number two into play. I’ll show you who’s in control.” He gets out of the car while I whisper to myself, “That’s what I’m counting on.”

  Watching the doors to the elevator close, he leans down. “Lucky I kept those handcuffs you bought as a present for me. Might be time to revisit them.” That voice, how I love what it does to me.

  “Take me to bed, Kane, I’m all yours.”

  “The view from up here is amazing. So secluded, you wouldn’t even know it was here. I’ve driven past that little break in the trees with the little road and didn’t know what it was hiding.” Kane stands behind me leaning against his motorbike while I take in the beautiful mountains and valleys before me. The first time he got me on the bike I was so scared, but as soon as we rode down the road, I realized what an adrenaline rush it was to be behind Kane, hanging on tight while he sped along the roads. I understand why he loves his bike so much. You feel so free when you’re out on the winding roads of the mountain ranges in the fresh air. I place my life in his hands and trust him fully with it. It fuels his need to be in control and protect me, keeping me safe.

  “The view of your ass in those tight jeans, boots and leather jacket is pretty damn fine too, baby,” he comments from behind me.

  “You’re always checking out my ass, aren’t you.” I turn to see him with that cheeky smile and his aviator glasses on. “You don’t look too bad there yourself, sexy man.” Almost identical in outfits, the black is doing it for me too. As I stalk towards him, he takes off his glasses and holds his arms out for me to fall into. My favorite place to be. Standing and picking me up, I swing my legs around his waist. He takes a few steps and places me on the back of his bike. Stepping away, he goes to his jacket pocket and pulls out a small box.

  The kind of box that sends any girl into hysteria and trying to hold it together.

  Dropping to one knee, his beautiful fiery eyes look up at me.

  “My Lilly, my Red, you are the woman who finally made me live my life without being scared of what tomorrow brings. You’ve taught me that we can get through anything if we do it together. You captured me that first night with your spirit and light. It burns so bright and keeps me on my toes. You give me your all and taught me how to give you mine. I love you more than I know how to handle in words. Marry me, baby, and be my light and protect me for the rest of our lives.”

  I can’t sit any longer. Jumping from the bike, I lunge at him.

  “Yes, a thousand times yes. I’ll be your Red if you promise to always be my Wolf. I love you, Kane, so much.” Tears are streaming down my face as he slips the red ruby surrounded by diamonds on to my finger. He kisses me and twirls me around in circles. When he stops, I’m not ready to be put down, so, wrapping my legs around his waist, I bury my head in his neck for a moment. Letting the moment sink in. I know exactly what we need to seal the deal.

  “Kane, live your fantasy. Give us something to remember that every time our grandkids ask us about the day you asked me to marry you, we will look at each other and remember the part of the story that no one else will ever know.” My voice is quavering by the time I finish as he works out what I’m offering.

  Placing me on the back of his bike and slowly laying me down, he smiles at me with tears in his eyes.

  “I never deserved you, Lilly, yet here you are still giving yourself to me. I’m one lucky man.”

  Then without words, he shows me how much he loves me and struggles to say. I don’t always need the words.

  I know Kane loves me and that’s all that matters.

  I’m his Red and he’s my Wolf.

  Opposites who attract.

  Love’s perfect.

  Epilogue

  Four years later

  Lilly

  If I have one more of my brothers ask me if I’m okay, need to take a break, or sit down, then I’m going to lose my cool. Kane has tried to warn them that normal Lilly temper is nothing compared to nine-months-pregnant Lilly who hates feeling helpless.

  “I’m fine! What do you all not understand? This little girl inside me is just as feisty as me. She will come when she is ready.” I lower myself into the chair on the back deck of Mom and Dad’s house. All the kids are running around on the grass and I’m surrounded by family.

  “Baby, I keep telling you it’s a boy. But either way, any child of ours is going to be stubborn. Just humor me and sit and relax while we get lunch organized.” Kane fusses over me, getting a footrest for me to put my very puffy swollen feet on. Whoever said a woman glows during her pregnancy hasn’t seen me. I’m bloated, with ankles that are now cankles. My hair has gone all dry and my face blotchy. This baby better be thanking me by being a good sleeper. I’m giving up all my looks to make them a healthier child.

  “Sweetheart, can I get you an iced tea?” My Dad stands next to me with his hand on my shoulder, looking at me with such love. I can’t snap at him. He’s my Dad.

  “Thanks, Daddy, that would be great.”

  “Wow, how come you’re so nice to him?” Kane laughs at me, rubbing my feet.

  “Because he didn’t put this watermelon inside me and expect me to somehow get it out. That’s all on you, Wolf. So, suck it up, big boy. Now help me up, please, I think I need to go to the toilet.” He smiles, knowing I don’t mean a word of what I’m saying. I try to stand up quickly because I can feel the pee starting, before I’m even close to the toilet.

  My first step and it happens.

  Fluid runs down my legs and a pain grabs me in the lower stomach and across my back.

  My eyes meet my husband’s.

  “Kane,” I plead to him quietly. All my sassy is gone, now pure fear in my voice.

  “I’ve got you, baby. I’ve always got you.”

  Everything around me is now moving fast-paced and all I can concentrate on is the pain and his voice. Trying to keep me calm.

  “Remember to lean on me, baby, that’s our rule. I will protect you and our little one. I’ve got you.”

  No matter the pain, my heart flutters.

  This is my life.

  Kane

  I don’t even remember many details of the trip in the car to the hospital.

  Xavier drove. Alesha talked non-stop.

  Lilly screamed…loud…a lot.

  The labor’s quick, and by the time we arrive on the ward it’s time for our baby to be born.

  The nurses laugh at Lilly screaming at me with every swear word she can remember. Smacking my arm. Punching my chest with clenched fists and digging her nails in so hard she’s drawing blood. I don’t give a fuck what she needs to do as long as she and our baby are safe. I need this over. It’s starting to stress me out. I hate when I can’t fix things for her. I told her I’d always fix it.

  “Here comes the head, that’s it, one big p
ush, Lilly,” the doctor tells her.

  “Kane, I can’t do…” She’s busy screaming when we hear the first cry of our little one. Lilly stops making noise and we both look at each other in awe of what has happened.

  “We have a very loud, healthy little girl. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Boston,” the doctor announces. We both start crying as I’m kissing Lilly, trying to tell her how much I love her and how proud I am of her. They place our perfect little girl on Lilly’s chest. Covered in muck, blood and all squished up. She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen besides her mom who will always be the love of my life.

  “Look at her, Kane, our little girl, just look at her,” Lilly says between tears of happiness.

  “I love both of you, my Boston girls. I will always protect you both and keep you safe. That is my new rule.” We both have our little girl wrapped in our arms and take this moment to enjoy that first time of being a family. How could I have ever thought I should give up this chance. Thank goodness for Lilly who brought me the light.

  After a few hours, the three of us are enjoying the quiet time in the hospital room, just staring at our little miracle. Lilly starts to drift off to sleep so I take my daughter and stand looking out the window at the city just holding her tight and having a little talk just the two of us.

  “I promise you, just like I promised your mom. Every day I will protect you and will do my best to come home again to you, every night.

  “I can’t promise you tomorrow, but I will give you everything of me today.

  “I love you, Alina Lilly Boston, more than I know how to handle in words, but I will never stop showing you.”

  THE END

  Acknowledgments

  Where do I even start?

  This has been such a journey from the beginning of this series to the very last book. I look back at what was a personal dream to help me center myself and find that place that made me smile. From the first word of Love’s Wall to the last word in Love’s Hot, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. This journey, though, quickly became more than just for me. You all came along for the ride. It still amazes me. I will never stop being grateful for all the love that you give me. Thank you, to all you gorgeous people who read my words. I hope I’ve given you my smile to put on your face, too.

  I can’t write this without thanking my Stevenson family. They let me tell their stories, share their inner thoughts and gave me permission to write their love stories and happy-ever-afters. They will always be special to me. I hope you have loved them as much as I do.

  A big thank you to Linda and all the team at Foreword PR & Marketing. Linda you are amazing and have been such a big help to me. Just having you in my corner has given me more time to concentrate on writing and know that everything is still happening when and where it should be. More importantly, you are my go-to person for all my questions and someone to bounce my ideas off. I love your honesty and guidance. You give me confidence to go out and tackle new things. Can’t wait for what we can achieve together, going forward. Love you and thank you.

  Lindsay at Contagious Edits you are such a gem. Thank you for sorting my words, finding my mistakes, constantly inserting my commas and laughing at my Australian slang. You make the editing process as painless as it can be for which I am truly thankful for.

  I have been blessed to have the lovely Sarah Paige at Opium House Creatives with me for the whole journey of ‘The Time for Love Series’. The help and guidance she gives me, I can’t even begin to explain. Nothing is ever too much trouble for her. She is responsible for my beautiful covers, proofreading, formatting and my hot teasers that have everyone swooning. Thank you, hun, love your work.

  Everyone has one of these friends. You know the one who gives you the push to take that leap when you don’t think you can. For me, that is Nicole. The first person to ever read my words, the one who told me to keep going. The one who pushed me to publish, just because. Told me she would read it and convinced me maybe a few other people might too. Then as soon as ‘The End’ is written, she’s pushing me to start the next. You know I love you, beautiful lady, and can’t thank you enough for taking every step with me on this journey. Here’s to many more years of laughter, love and travels. P.S. I promise to always keep you on your treasure hunt of finding yourself in my books.

  My beta readers are the wonderful women who make my stories better. They drop things when I send a chapter through just to read and tell me if I’m on the right spot. I appreciate their honesty and the love they share. They celebrate with me, even to the point of tears when I’m in tears. I couldn’t ask for a better team. My special ladies—Nicole, Vicki, Di and Brenda—I love you all and thank you, thank you, thank you for everything.

  To my tribe, Sharon, Charmaine and Nicole. Each of you bring a different light into my life. Love you all. To my mentor, words of thanks will never be enough. You have brought the light into my life and continue to make it burn bigger and brighter every step of the way. Love you loads.

  Family and friends who supported me in the beginning and are still standing beside me cheering me on. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

  My three cherubs. My stories I write for you. You may never read them but know that everything I do is to make me a better mom for you and a better life for our family. My love for you is endless and I will always be your soft landing, whenever you need me.

  You know you are blessed when you have a husband who says, “Sure, be an author, lock yourself away in your office for hours (weeks/months) so I don’t see you. Come to bed four hours after me and I will gladly let you drag my warm blankets off me so you can warm up. I’ll even put up with all the jokes from my friends. But yep, you go be an author and I will always support your dream.”

  Now, that is true love. Michael, thank you for sharing this crazy journey with me and giving me the love you have, to help me spread my wings. I thank the universe every day for sending you to me. Eternally grateful.

  Now time to write a new story and discover a whole new world between the pages.

  Grateful to you all for believing in me.

  Karen xxx

  Gorgeous Gyno Excerpt

  Matilda

  Today has disaster written all over it.

  Five fifty-seven am and already I have three emails that have the potential to derail tonight’s function. Why do people insist on being so disorganized? Truly, it’s not that hard.

  Have a diary, use your phone, write it down, order the stock – whatever it takes. Either way, don’t fuck my order up! I shouldn’t have to use my grown-up words before six am on a weekday. Seriously!

  I’m standing in the shower with hot water streaming down my body. I feel like I’m about to draw blood with how hard I’m scrubbing my scalp, while I’m thinking about solutions for my problems. It’s what I’m good at. Not the hair-pulling but the problem-solving in a crisis. A professional event planner has many sneaky tricks up her sleeve. I just happen to have them up my sleeve, in my pockets, and hiding in my shoes. As a last resort, I pull them out of my ass.

  I need to get into the office to find a new supplier that can have nine hundred mint-green cloth serviettes delivered to the hotel by lunchtime today. You would think this is trivial in the world. However, if tonight’s event is not perfect, it could be the difference between my dream penthouse apartment or the shoebox I’m living in now. I’ll be damned if mint napkins are the deciding factor. Why can’t Lucia just settle for white? Oh, that’s right, because she is about as easy to please as a child waiting for food. No matter what you say, they complain until they get what they want. Lucia is a nice lady, I’m sure, when she’s not being my client from hell.

  Standing in the bathroom, foot on the side of the bath, stretching my stockings on, I sneak a glance in the mirror. I hate looking at myself. Who wants to look at their fat rolls and butt dimples. Not me! I should get rid of the mirror and then I wouldn’t have to cringe every time I see it. Maybe in that penthouse I’m seeing in my fut
ure, there will be a personal trainer and chef included.

  Yes! Let’s put that in the picture. Need to add that to my vision board. I already have the personal driver posted up on my board—of course, he’s sizzling hot. The trains and taxis got old about seven years ago. Well, maybe six years and eleven months. The first month I moved to Chicago I loved it. The hustle and bustle, such a change from the country town I grew up in. Trains running on raised platforms instead of the ground, the amount of taxis that seemed to be in the thousands compared to three that were run by the McKinnon family. Now all the extra time you lose in traffic every day is so frustrating, it’s hard to make up in a busy schedule.

  I slip my pencil skirt up over my hips, zip up and turn side to side. Happy with my outfit, I slide my suit jacket on, and then I do the last thing, putting on lipstick. Time to take on the world for another day. As stressful as it is and how often I will complain about things going wrong, I love my life. With a passion. Working with my best friend in our own business is the best leap of faith we took together. Leaving our childhood hometown of Williamsport, we were seeking adventure. The new beginning we both needed. It didn’t quite start how I thought. Those first few months were tough. I really struggled, but I just didn’t feel like I could go home anymore because the feeling of being happy there had changed thanks to my ex-boyfriend. Lucky I had Fleur to get me through that time.

  Fleur and I met in preschool. She was busy setting up her toy kitchen in the classroom when I walked in. I say hers, because one of the boys tried to tell her how to arrange it and her look stopped him in his tracks. I remember thinking, he has no idea. I would set it up just how she did. It made perfect sense. I knew we were right. Well, that was what we agreed on and bonded over our PB&J sandwich. That and our OCD behavior, of being painfully pedantic. Sometimes it meant we butted heads being so similar, but not often. We have been inseparable ever since that first day.