I take a quick peek at my cellphone. I’m waiting excitedly for the minute he’ll be back home.
Jessa shoves another armful of dresses at me. Penny sifts through the racks of options I’ve already rejected. My mother drapes me in a sympathetic hug. They’re all making a big fuss. The girls sling encouragement my way, prodding me to keep going.
And I find myself smiling…
Not too long ago, I was lonely. I was a broke divorcée, trying to figure out the next phase of my life. But now, all that has changed. I have the best friends a girl can ask for, three sisters who claim me as one of their own, a mother who adores me and a soon-to-be mother-in-law who can’t wait till it’s all official.
And the best part…the very best part, I know that my man would marry me even if I showed up at the ceremony in a potato sack.
…Let’s just hope it doesn’t have to come to that.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Diana whisper something into Lexi’s ear. My best friend’s eyes light up at whatever my future mother-in-law just suggested.
“Hey, where are you going?” I call out as Lexi hustles off toward her office.
In a minute, she’s back with a clear garment bag in hand.
My eyes are watering as she approaches me reverently with the dress. “No way…” I whisper as I run my fingertips down the zipper.
Diana nods, chasing her own tears. “Yes, Iris…”
“What is it?” Lily asks, her confused gaze darting around to read our faces.
I glance up at my sister. “Diana’s wedding gown…”
On shaky knees, I head off into the changing room. There’s no way this will fit. There’s no way this will fit.
That’s what my brain keeps yelling at me. This is Diana’s dress. The gown my soon-to-be mother-in-law loaned to Alexia when she married Cannon.
Lexi’s waist is the size of a Sharpie pen.
There’s no way this will fit.
But minutes later, I’m standing in the middle of the bridal shop, draped in my mother-in-law’s gown and it fits perfectly. My friends fawn over me and wipe tears from my eyes. “This is the dress, you guys…”
Wild cheers go up around the room as I stand there in shock. I spent so much time focused on losing weight, thinking that it would somehow make me happy. But the funny thing is, when I got happy first, I didn’t even notice the weight melting off.
And at this point, it doesn’t even matter because Jude Kingston would love me at any size.
I take my future mother-in-law’s hands. “Thank you for accepting me into your family, Diana. I know I’m a bit of a mess. With my divorce and my lunatic ex and my string of failures behind me.”
“Shhh…” She scoops me into a hug. “Let go of the outdated idea that a woman has to be as pure as the freshly fallen snow to deserve love and happiness. I know I wasn’t.”
Her words sound kind of cryptic but before I can try to process them, Penny hastily sets down her champagne glass with a clink. “Groom, incoming,” my cousin announces, eyes on the front door.
I glance in that direction and find Jude’s convertible pulling up to the curb.
At the sight of him, my first instinct is to dart off in his direction. To welcome him home, to share my excitement at having finally found my dress.
But my mother jumps into my path. “The groom can’t see your dress before the wedding day!” she scolds like an army sergeant.
Giddy, Diana hurries off to accost her son at the door. “I’ll deal with him.”
Grace and Lexi team up and shove me into the changing room, ignoring my protests.
I hear his laughter when he steps into the shop. I hear my friends reminding him that it’s bad luck to see my gown before the ceremony.
As fast as I can, I change back into my jeans and T-shirt because I just can’t wait to lay my eyes and my hands and my lips on him.
When I turn the corner and see him there, the biggest smile rips across my face. “Hey…”
He steps around my friends. “Hey…”
We meet in the middle of the shop with a steamy kiss that has the girls oohing and aahing. Jude sweeps his hand from behind his back and presents me with a lopsided bouquet of wilting flowers wrapped in rumpled paper.
I take the flowers and giggle. “You made this?”
“Damn straight, I made this,” my man tells me with that brimming confidence of his. “I’m getting better, huh?”
In his very limited spare time, he’s been watching floral design videos on YouTube. Let’s just say we can’t, in good conscience, sell his designs to the general public yet. That’s okay. Jude puts in the effort, and that’s why I love him too much for words.
Since we opened our flower shop, business has been flourishing. We even had to hire part-time workers to help us out. Jude insisted that we name the place Iris in Bloom. At first, I resisted, saying that the name was cheesy and it made me look self-important but it quickly grew on me. Because I am in bloom. Every single day I spend with Jude, I grow a little more, shine a little brighter.
“They’re beautiful,” I tell him, pressing my lips to the corner of his mouth as I cradle the flowers. “Absolutely beautiful.”
He tucks a vibrant pink hibiscus behind my ear. “Still not as beautiful as you.”
We say our goodbyes to our friends and Jude ushers me into his car. On the drive home, he tells me all about his team’s latest victory. From the way he’s rubbing his knee, I know he’ll need some extra TLC from me tonight. That’s what I’m here for so I’ll gladly tend to his every need.
“Another stunning victory for the Paragons and the unstoppable Jude Kingston!” I proclaim in my best sports announcer voice.
His fingers lace with mine and he kisses my palm as he drives. “Winning is easy with your support and encouragement in my ear, Petal. You’re my good luck charm, remember?”
“Oh, baby, I’m so happy. And so damn proud of you!” I lean across the console and plant a kiss on his face. I grin.
The man’s eyes go serious. “Loving you and watching you fall in love with yourself? That has been the biggest victory of my life, Petal. You are the biggest victory of my life.” He cups my face in his hand. “Things were all fucked up for a minute. I won't lie. I didn't know what I was going to do with my life and I was scared. But I knew that with you by my side, we would figure it out together and that it would be Fucking. Epic.”
And I’m swooning. I’m giddy and I’m happy and I’m in love.
Our life isn’t perfect. Jude is still working hard with his team of trainers and therapists every day to keep his body in top form. I still deal with guilt and anger over what my ex did that night at the bar.
Kirk was sentenced a few weeks ago. Jude and I stood hand in hand in that courthouse as the judge slammed down the gavel. My man held me in his arms as we watched that scumbag being dragged away to jail with a dead look in his eyes.
True to his word, Cannon’s lawyer ensured that my piece of shit ex was handed the stiffest penalty available on the books. Kirk Bunting will be behind bars for a long, long time.
Now, Jude and I can move on. Focus on our future, our dreams. Heaven knows our love is bigger than any of the obstacles we’ve faced. Our love shines bright enough to set the whole world ablaze.
So tonight, my man takes me to bed and he makes love to me. I tell him how much I adore him and he tells me I’m the most beautiful woman in the world.
Now, Foxxy snores lightly from where she’s curled up against my ribs. The sound fills the room. Jude and I have been talking about giving her some brothers and sisters. Some human brothers and sisters. I think that will happen very soon.
As I lie drifting off with my head on his chest, I hear him whisper against my scalp. “It’s all been worth it, Iris. Every single minute of this journey has been worth it, because it’s brought me home, right here to you.”
I kiss the warm skin over his beating heart. “You’re my home, Jude. You’re my forever. I’m going
to love you to my dying day.”
If this isn’t happily-ever-after, then I don’t know what is.
Thank you so much for reading MISTER BALLER! I hope you fell flat-on-your-face in love with Jude and Iris. I know I did!
The Kingston boys aren’t done melting your panties yet…Walker’s story is up next in the Bad Boys in Love Series and you don’t want to miss the heat. It’s up for pre-order, so grab it now!
Pre-order Mister Baby Daddy
Iris and Jude got a very special wedding gift from Cannon and Lexi…
And they’re dying to unwrap it…
Click here to grab your copy of the Mister Baller bonus epilogue now!
So, what to read now…?
While you're waiting for Mister Baby Daddy to go live, jump into the Dirty Suburbs, another charming and hilarious small town rom com series.
If you love a steamy enemies-to-lovers second chance romance featuring a charming bad boy with a secret, his best friend’s feisty little sister with a grudge and a bunch of sassy grannies who want him to take his clothes off (for artistic purposes, of course), read an excerpt of Dirty Neighbor. The irresistible chemistry will burn your fingertips. (It’s free in Kindle Unlimited.)
KEELAND
“Is this one of those art classes where the instructor gets naked so you can paint him?”
Delores is hunched over in her seat, whispering loudly into Nancy’s ear.
Nancy shoos her away before giving me an embarrassed look. “Hush! As blind as you are, you wouldn’t be able to tell his arm from his man parts, anyway!”
I bite down a chuckle as I set up my easel and lay out my pencils. Oh Nancy, it wouldn’t be the first time my cock was mistaken for a limb.
I called the community center bright and early yesterday morning to speak to Faith and express my interest in teaching an art workshop to the senior citizens of Reyfield. I’ve never taught an art class in my life but I’m a renowned tattoo artist. How hard can it be, teaching a group of old folks to draw a sunset? And it definitely beats sifting through the four banker’s boxes of receipts and paperwork that Maxwell FedExed me from California. So, when Faith asked for my availabilities, I said — you guessed it — Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:30.
Faith was able to corral nearly a dozen of the town’s feistiest silver vixens on very short notice and they’re all eager about the class. To be quite frank, I’m a little concerned for my safety. Helen Winterbaum asked me for a lower back tattoo a few minutes ago and Betty Greene blatantly grabbed at my package. Twice. And class hasn’t even begun yet.
I may not be able to leave here with my virtue intact.
But it’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for Sammie. Not just because it’s kind of fun, seeing her so off-kilter every time I come around, but also because, a part of me really just wants to get into her good graces. She clearly thinks I’m a real asshole, but I don’t want her to keep hating me. I want her to know that, despite everything, I’m a good guy.
And after my impromptu striptease show in front of her window on Friday night, I might be further than ever from my goal. But I just couldn’t resist. In my defense, I was a bit tipsy and I caught her sneaky ass peeping at me through her blinds, just like she used to do when we were younger. But, we’re adults now. And I’m horny. So I decided to have a little harmless fun at her expense.
Anyway, I haven’t seen her since that night and I think that she’s deliberately avoiding me. Case-in-point, I spent most of Saturday morning trimming the unruly hedges framing her backyard and mowing her overgrown lawn, but she didn’t show face at all.
I’ve been out of jail for almost a month now and I still haven’t gotten laid. I’m almost tempted to think that the problem might be me — do I have body odor or something? — but then, I remember that I’m the one who’s been refusing the advances of the many attractive women who’ve shown interest in me since I’ve been in town.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I came to Reyfield with every intention of fucking like a wild animal to make up for lost time, but now that I’m here, now that I’ve laid eyes on Sammie Trotten, it kind of sort of feels like she’s the only woman I want to shove my happy stick into. Damn – that was kind of crude. But that’s just a crazy fantasy because I promised Daniel that I’d keep my ‘happy stick’ away from his little sister.
After giving basic instructions to my students, I spend the next hour sauntering about the room, peering over their shoulders to offer them constructive criticism and encouragement as needed. I remember to always keep a safe distance just in case one of these sassy, old broads tries to get handsy.
At 5:28, the door across the hall swings open and a group of lethargic 14-year-olds trudge out of Sammie’s tutoring session.
I address my class. “Ladies — that’s all the time we have for today. See you back here, same time on Thursday. Thanks for coming out.”
Before they can even answer, I’ve dashed out into the hallway, trying to get to Sammie before she leaves. She’s standing just inside of the doorway of her classroom speaking with one of the kids. The young girl thanks Sammie for helping with her assignment before informing her that she got a B+ on her last test. Sammie seems genuinely happy for the girl, giving her additional words of encouragement. The student takes Sammie completely off-guard when she throws her arms around Sammie’s middle and gives her a tight squeeze. She laughs, surprised, as she gives the girl a quick pat on the back.
She’s still smiling as the student says an enthusiastic goodbye and walks away. I clear my throat, approaching her and her smile instantly vanishes from her face.
“Keeland?” Her eyes are wide and her cheeks go red immediately. Suddenly looking self-conscious, she runs her fingers through her messy, shoulder-length chestnut hair.
“Hey Sammie.” A grin inches across my face. “Your students really love you, huh?” I tip my head in the direction of the girl who just wandered off.
She ignores my question and straightens the collar of her kelly green sweater instead. “What are you doing here?” she asks gruffly. She’s still not over Friday night. I can see it on her face.
“Teaching an art class to the seniors,” I say pointing over my shoulder to the open door behind me.
Her eyes narrow. “You’re teaching an art class to the seniors?”
I nod, feeling pretty proud of myself. Women love guys who volunteer and shit.
“Since when?” she asks in a challenging tone.
“Since today.”
She rolls her eyes and walks back into her classroom, bending over to pick up her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. The hem of her flirty, white dress inches up ever so slightly.
My cock jerks at the thought of getting a peek at her plump, round ass.
When she straightens up and turns back to me, I have to catch my bearings…and discreetly adjust my erection.
Fuck — I want her.
“Anything I can help you with?” she asks pointedly.
One side of my mouth inches up. “You can give me a ride home.”
She furrows her eyebrows. “How’d you get here?”
“I walked.”
“Then maybe you should walk back.” Her tone is flat and dry.
“Well, I figured I wouldn’t need to walk back since my next door neighbor would be here tonight.” I take a step toward her.
She takes a step back. “So you admit it? You’re here because of me? To continue taunting me?” I can’t stop watching the way her red lips pout. I can’t stop imagining them around my cock.
“Me? Taunt you?” I say innocently. “I’m just here to volunteer my time and my talent to the fine seniors of Reyfield.”
She grunts. “Whatever.” She slips her bag onto her shoulder and slinks past me, out the door.
That little prank I pulled in front of the window is starting to backfire on me, because since I stripped bare for her, Sammie is the only woman I’ve imagined being naked with.
“So, how abou
t that ride home?” I ask.
She glances over her shoulder at me. She bites her lip and I can tell she’s looking for an excuse. “I’ve got to go to the grocery store before I head home. That’ll take a while.”
“Ah — that’s perfect. I need to go to the gro—”
“Y’know what?” she interrupts me, walking over and sliding her arm around Delores’ shoulders just as she and Nancy come ambling out of my classroom. “These lovely ladies would be delighted to drive you home, Keeland.”
I open my mouth to protest but the old wench grins and lands a heavy, open palm on my ass. She grabs me by the elbow, dragging me toward the exit. “It would be my pleasure to take you home.” She gives Sammie a wink before turning back to me. “Come on, cowboy!”
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Dirty Cameos & Easter Eggs
I can’t help myself when it comes to ‘Easter eggs’ and they’re scattered all throughout Mister Baller.
You may have noticed a few familiar faces (and objects!) from my older books making an appearance in Mister Baller. If you’re new to my universe, here’s a little guide to help you figure out who’s who.
The Dirty Suburbs Series is a sexy rom-com series set in Reyfield which is a neighboring town to Crescent Harbor.
Faith Monroe-Masters - Dirty Player
Lily Monroe-Wilkinson - Dirty Farmer
Grace Monroe-Trotten - Dirty Forever
Paul Price - Dirty Player
Aunt Delores from the nursing home - Dirty Neighbor and most of the other books in the Dirty Suburbs Series. Plus, Play Boy from the Blue Collar Bachelors.
The Volkswagen Quantum barely holding its shit together under layers of duct tape - Dirty Stranger
Mister Baller: A Small Town Enemies-to-Lovers Sports Romance (Bad Boys in Love Book 2) Page 27