Miles

by KB Winters

  “Lunch? Miles…I want to go back to your place and have some alone time…” I said, batting my lashes up at him.

  He chuckled. “And I appreciate that, but we have one little stop to make first, okay?”

  “All right.”

  Miles guided me out of the airport and we hopped into his truck—very sexy—and headed into the heart of the city. I shot him a look when we pulled into a dusty, vacant lot in front of a plain warehouse. “We’re having lunch here?”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “Okay…”

  Miles flashed me a grin. “Just trust me.”

  He ran around to let me out of the passenger side and took me by the hand around the side of the building. A blast of music was coming out of a side door that was propped open. I spotted another truck parked across the lot. “This way,” he said, going through the open door.

  The music was deafening inside.

  “Yo, Finn! Turn it down!” Miles shouted.

  A man in torn jeans and a white tank appeared and the music died. “Sorry, boss man.”

  “No worries. I just wanted to stop by and show my girl around.” Miles wrapped an arm around my waist and I smiled. I loved it when he called me his girl. “Come on over and say hello.”

  The man approached. He was tall, broad shouldered, and with dark hair that looked like it had streaks of auburn under the harsh lights throughout the warehouse. “Hey, Mrs. Warren. Name’s Finn Clarke.”

  “Nice to meet you, Finn. You can call me Penny.”

  He shook my hand briefly and then pocketed his hands. “Well, we’re making good progress here. I have the front desk stained and working on the cabinets now.”

  That explained the dark marks on his fingertips.

  Miles nodded. “Awesome. Finn’s my mechanic, but he’s handy with furniture as well so I brought him on early to help me get things set up around here. You’re looking at the future home of the Open Road Garage.”

  I glanced around the open space, my mind filling in the details that were currently missing from the parts Miles had talked about over the past few weeks. “It’s perfect. Well, it will be.”

  Miles and Finn laughed. “Yeah, still a long way to go before opening day,” Finn said.

  “I just wanted you to see it,” Miles added. He glanced at Finn. “You wanna go grab us some tacos from that food truck down the road?”

  “Sure thing.” Finn started towards the door Miles and I had just come in through. “It was nice to meet you, Penny.”

  “You too, Finn!”

  Finn disappeared and Miles swung me around to face him. My arms rested on his shoulders and I looked up into his eyes that were clearly shining with pride. “I’m so happy for you, babe. This place is going to be amazing. I can’t wait to see it once it’s up and running.”

  “Thanks, baby. That means a lot. I know it hasn’t been easy to get to this point, but it’s been really cool watching it all come together.”

  I smiled and brushed a strand of his hair from his forehead. “Finn seems nice.”

  “Yeah. He’s from my unit. He’s reserves now but he’s a cool guy.”

  I nodded. “And taco fetcher?”

  Miles laughed. “I just needed a minute alone with you.”

  “For what? We have all night, all week, all…whatever…to be alone. I live here now, remember?”

  “Of course I do,” he said, grinning at me. “But this is something I wanted to tell you, while we were here.”

  “Okay?” I arched a brow at him.

  “I wanted you to see this place so that I could properly thank you for taking a chance on me and this whole wacky scheme.”

  “I’d say it worked out pretty well for both of us,” I replied, smirking at him.

  He placed a finger on my lips. “I kinda have a speech here,” he said softly.

  “Okay. Continue.”

  “If you’d asked me a few weeks ago, I would have stood here and said that this is my future. This shop. This business. But now…” He pulled me another inch closer. “I look at you and I see my future right in front of me. You, Penny, you are my future.”

  Tears stung my eyes at his sweet words.

  “I know this all started as some crazy idea that was a huge gamble for both of us. But that’s all changed. I want to throw away all the timeline bullshit and just be us. You and me. Ride or die.”

  “Miles, I—”

  He kissed me warmly. “Penny, what I’m asking is whether you will stay my wife?”

  I laughed as I brought my lips back up to his. “That’s a helluva proposal, Miles. How could I possibly say no?”

  “Pretty sure you can’t. I mean, if you were crazy enough to say yes the first time…”

  I smacked him on the arm and then tugged him down to press my lips to his again. That was the only way I’d found so far to get him to shut up for more than a few minutes at a time.

  “I love you, Penny Warren,” he said, breaking away from the kiss.

  “And I love you, Miles Warren.”

  I held up my finger. “I just have one question…”

  “What’s that?”

  “Do we really have to wait for Finn to get back with those tacos or can we go bask in our newlywed glow?”

  “One vote for basking,” Miles replied, gathering me into his arms and carrying me out the door and off into the sunset.

  Just the way it should be. And would always be.

  ~ T H E E N D ~

  Thank you so much for reading! We hope you enjoyed Miles and Penny!

  AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hope you enjoyed reading Miles’ story. For a *limited time* I have an ALL-NEW series epilogue available in this Special Forces Novel.

  Special BONUS! Special Forces Series Epilogue

  A Special Forces Novella

  By

  KB Winters

  Copyright © 2016 BookBoyfriends Publishing

  Published By: BookBoyfriends Publishing

  Special Forces Series Epilogue

  “Uncle Miles!”

  I beamed down at my unofficial niece, Rose, before scooping her up into my arms for a hug. She squealed as I tossed her up into the air before gently setting her back on the ground.

  Karena smiled and stepped over the threshold and Colton followed her. “The house looks amazing!”

  Colton nodded his agreement with his wife’s sentiment as they shut the front door behind them. “Look at One-Night-Warren getting all domesticated,” he said, grinning over her head at me, his eyes ablaze with humor at his own joke.

  “Excuse me, Karena,” I said, guiding her further into the house so I could deliver a punch to her husband’s arm.

  She laughed and darted down the hall to find Penny, little Rose on her heels. “Come on sweetie, let’s go find Auntie Penny.”

  “Damn, Warren, you’re losing your touch. You been skipping out on the gym?” Colton teased, brushing off the place my punch had landed.

  “We’ll see if you feel that way after a little football. I got your number, son.” I shoved him down the hall and was about to follow him when the doorbell rang again. “Why don’t you go help the ladies bake a pie or something,” I called after him, turning back to answer the door.

  This time it was Lucas and his whole crew waiting on the other side. His wife, Isla, her daughter—that he’d recently adopted as his own—and his four half-siblings, Ben, Spencer, Emmie, and Charlotte.

  “Happy Thanksgiving!” Lucas called from the back of the pack. He waved over their heads and the kids all filed in.

  “Hey guys! Come on in. Everyone else is already here.” The younger girls gave me hugs and the two boys fist bumped as they walked past.

  Isla smiled. “Figured. We can’t go anywhere in a hurry.”

  I chuckled. “I bet. Get in here, Mrs. Sprigg.” Isla popped up on her toes and gave me a hug, her sizable baby bump keeping a space between us. “You look beautiful, mama.”

  “Thank you, Miles.”

  “Hey, hey. You g
ot your own wife now,” Lucas said, stepping in for a quick man hug.

  “He can still compliment me,” Isla said, tossing her husband a playful glare. “Besides, I hardly think Penny would be threatened.”

  I laughed. I wasn’t sure anything threatened Penny. The woman was made of steel and plenty capable of handling herself. But I loved it when she let me step in and defend her. My tough-guy-caveman moments as she liked to call them.

  “We got the bird in the oven and Penny’s been cooking her ass off all day. The pregame’s on in the den and we got some new games for the kids to play if they’re interested.”

  Lucas laughed. “You went all out, huh?”

  I shrugged. “Well you and Colton each had your turn hosting this shindig. I figured now it’s my turn—”

  “AKA your chance to outshine us,” Lucas filled in, flashing a good-natured smile. “I’m just messing with ya, man. I appreciate you hosting and for hooking us up with the plane tickets.”

  “No problem, dude. I can’t imagine a Thanksgiving without you.”

  Lucas tilted his chin. “Same here, brother.”

  We stared at each other and then clapped one another’s shoulders before we got too touchy-feely.

  “All right, now point me in the direction of the kitchen. Airplane food sucks.”

  I laughed and started down the hall, past the formal dining room that Penny had insisted no one touch until dinner was ready. I said we should throw up a line of caution tape but she didn’t find the suggestion all that amusing. She was working really hard to make the turkey and dinner picture perfect. It was her first time meeting Lucas and his family since they lived on the opposite side of the country and she wanted to make a good impression.

  We entered the large open living space that comprised of an eat in kitchen, informal living room, and breakfast nook where everyone had gathered. The home was less than a decade old and was modeled in a craftsman style with big open spaces that were meant for entertaining. A set of French doors off the living room opened to a covered patio. In the summer they were always thrown open. I didn’t mind the heat and loved the warm, sunny breeze that would float in from the tree line and garden that backed up to the house.

  As it was the end of November, they were closed tight against a chilly afternoon, but so far the rain had held off and I was planning a touch football game with my buddies to work off our meal. The kids had a Frisbee golf course set up if they wanted to get in on the action. I hadn’t gone all out to impress my friends. They knew I had money. It wasn’t about that. It was my way of showing them all how much I appreciated their support and was the best way that I knew how to thank them for their friendship and the sense of family they brought to my life when my real family—outside of Penny—was so cold and unsupportive of my decisions.

  When we entered the room, I smiled at the way everyone had already settled in for the day. Penny was holding court in the kitchen, Karena on one side, Isla on the other, the three of them already looking like best friends as they laughed together. We’d already been married for six months and she still took my breath away every time I looked at her. I especially loved watching her when she didn’t know I was watching her.

  In a totally non-creepy, adoring husband kind of way.

  “Hey baby,” I said, getting her attention we came to a stop on the opposite side of the granite topped island. I clapped him on the back as she spun away from her conversation. “This is Lucas.”

  Penny beamed and wiped her hand off on the black apron tied around her waist before reaching across to shake Lucas’ hand. “It’s so nice to officially meet you. Your family is beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  “We finally have our Army wives club all in one place,” Isla said, smiling at Penny.

  “I think this means we’re in for a lot of trouble…” I said to Lucas.

  He laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I think so too. We’re not going to be able to get away with anything anymore.”

  Isla rolled her eyes while Penny and Karena laughed along. “Yeah, because with five kids and one on the way, you were really living the thug life.”

  Lucas laughed and held up his hands in surrender.

  Penny glanced at me and smiled in a way that made me wish we were alone. “This one’s too busy at the shop to get in trouble anymore.”

  “Business is still good?” Lucas asked me.

  I laughed. “Too good it feels like. I keep waiting for the phone to stop ringing but it hasn’t happened yet. We’re booked out for custom work a solid six months and we’ve been invited to a show in February to show off our stuff and I’m sure that’ll blow it up even more.”

  “It’s a good problem to have.”

  I nodded. “Sure is. But with my stuff and Penny’s new venture, we have to be careful to not turn into passing ships.”

  Penny grinned at me from across the room and I knew right where her beautifully dirty mind was at. A few days ago she’d surprised me at the office wearing nothing but a lacy nightie and fuck-me heels under her coat and I cleared my afternoon really quick.

  “Did you show them your book?” I asked Penny, shifting the spotlight so no one would have to witness me getting hot and bothered.

  “Not yet.” She shook her head. “I kinda got my hands full here.”

  I rounded the island and picked up an oven mitt from the counter. “Tell me what to babysit and go show them.”

  Penny kissed me on the cheek. “Just keep the potatoes from getting soggy.”

  “What does that even mean?” I glanced at the massive pot boiling on the stove.

  “I’m not sure…but Jazz told me it’s important.” She waved her fingers. “Come on ladies, I have a copy in the other living room.”

  “Great…” I frowned into the pot. Jasmine was originally supposed to be here for Thanksgiving but at the last minute, her boyfriend surprised her with tickets home to Italy to meet his family. So, she’d provided detailed instructions over a few video calls instead.

  The ladies started to leave but Lucas called over to them. “Hey, why don’t you bring it in here? I’d like to see it too.”

  “Me too, Auntie Penny!” Rose clapped as she ran over to join the trio.

  Penny smiled. “All right. I’ll go get it.”

  She left the kitchen and minutes later she returned with her glossy covered art book: A Walk with Dad: One Daughter’s Memories in Central Park.

  Everyone gathered around as she laid it on the counter and pulled back the cover. She toured the book slowly, stopping to let everyone read the pages she’d penned herself, and the dull sound of the pregame was the only sound in the background—a miracle considering how many children were in the room.

  “These photographs are amazing, Penny,” Isla breathed.

  I beamed with pride as everyone poured over Penny’s art book. That’s right, baby girl, you’re a genius.

  My parent’s contacts panned out and she received the final proof of her book, from a small offshoot of a larger publishing company, two days before the tenth anniversary of her father’s death. I still got choked up thinking about the way she’d silently gone through each page, cross legged on the entryway floor, having ripped the box open as soon as the mail man put it in her hands.

  I found her like that, her hair piled up on top of her head and tears streaming down her face, the book spread across her lap. And I stood there, in silence, falling so deeply in love with her again as she wiped away her tears to keep them from falling on the treasured pages.

  “It’s really here, Miles. And it’s so beautiful,” she whispered once she realized I was standing there. I’d knelt beside her, gathered her against me and we’d both shed some tears, before going back through the book together.

  Our dreams were all coming true. I had my garage, open and jam packed with requests for custom work, to the point where I’d needed to bring on a manager to keep my schedule free to actually be able to work and design and not get lost in paperwork.
<
br />   “So, what’s next for you, Penny?” Karena asked once she closed the back cover.

  “Well, I’m actually working on something really special. It’s a book about the unit.”

  “Our unit?” Colton asked, joining the conversation. He dropped an arm around Karena and pulled her against his chest.

  Penny nodded. “Yeah. I’m working with the families who have lost someone from the unit. The book will feature the fallen Rangers. I’ve been compiling photos, along with letters, the medals, and anything else the family members want to share with me. Then, I’ll be traveling to take new pictures of the grave sites and meet with the families to take their pictures as well.”

  I smiled softly at the way she described it with such reverence. It was her new passion project and I was honored beyond words that she was my wife. I was transitioning out of active duty, but the Army would always hold a special place in my heart and it was incredible that Penny was rooting herself in that life—my life.

  “Wow. Penny, that’s—that’s amazing,” Lucas said. “Thank you.”

  Penny tucked her chin and brushed a strand of her blonde hair back behind her ear. “It’s an honor.”

  “How did you get started with that?” Colton asked.

  “Colonel Reeves actually suggested it,” she answered.

  Colton smiled. “Whoa. She’s got an in with the Colonel?”

  I chuckled. “They met when I went to sign some paperwork for the reserves. They got to talking and it turns out the Colonel is something of an art aficionado.”

  “Who knew?” Lucas said, shaking his head.

  I smiled and stirred the potatoes. Shit. Are they soggy?

  Penny must have caught my conflicted expression because she appeared at my side and took the spoon from my hand. “Thank you, baby.”

  I wrapped my arm around her waist and drew her close.

  The doorbell rang. “I got it!”

  “Are we expecting someone else?” Isla asked, glancing around the room before I turned to jog down the hall to the entryway.

  It was true that our original trio was there, but I had one more guest that deserved a place at the table this year.

  I pulled the door open and smiled at Finn. “Hey man! I’m so glad you could make it. Come on in.”