He’s my man.
My everything.
“Do I get to open my present now?” I ask.
He smiles right before pressing his lips to my jaw. “Hell, no. You have to wait until Christmas like the rest of us.” He moves his mouth to mine and thrusts his hips. “But I’ve a present I can give you right now.”
“Ugh,” I groan. “Could you be any cheesier?”
“You know I love a challenge, babe.”
I push at his chest, laughing as his mouth continues to work over my neck and jaw. This is what happiness feels like. Relief. True joy.
Priya was right, we needed that moment apart to appreciate what we have together. Because it’s unlike anything else. Our relationship, despite being slow at the start, took off very quickly by most standards. And that’s part of our characters, in some respects. But so is working through the tough times, and that will only ever make us stronger.
Epilogue
HOLT
“Oh my God, Holt,” Harmony whisper cries. “Yes, right there. Keep going.”
I pump into her from behind, gripping her ass tightly, sweat dripping down my back, the idea that someone could walk in at any moment spurring me on.
“Babe, you there?”
“Yes, God, yes.” She bends lower, which deepens my angle, and that’s all it takes. Her pussy contracts around my cock, and together, we both orgasm, hushing our moans so they don’t echo through the empty space.
I slow my hips as we both regulate our breathing. I pull out of my girl and quickly remove and tie off my condom as she pulls up her underwear and rights her leggings. When she turns toward me, I smile and press my hand to her growing belly.
I right my boxer briefs and jeans as she says, “Condom was a smart idea for easy clean up.”
I tap the side of my head. “Always thinking.” I toss the condom in the trashcan and then look around the empty locker room. “You realize what we just did, right?”
She rolls her eyes. “Don’t make a big deal over it.”
“Oh, I’m making it a big deal.” I pinch her chin and bring her mouth to mine. “You just solidified your future with me. Legend has it, within five years we’ll be married.”
“I thought it was three years.”
“Oh damn, rushing me to the altar. Okay, I’m all for it.”
She rolls her eyes and presses her palm to my face. “I honestly can’t believe I let you convince me to do this.”
“Is that what you’re calling it? Convincing you? I don’t recall you putting up much of a fight.”
“I was horny.” She shrugs, and I laugh out loud.
That’s an understatement.
We spent winter break together, splitting our time between New York City and her parents’ place. I took Harmony around the city, showing her all of my favorite spots, giving her time to delight in the touristy parts as well. We caught White Christmas on Broadway with my parents, we took a picture in front of the Rockefeller Center tree, and I took her to the holiday shops at Bryant Park, where she found some presents for her parents and a few handcrafted paintings of gender-neutral animals for the baby’s room. We also strode through Central Park almost every night when we were there, taking in the lit-up trees and faint Christmas music playing in the background. It was one of her favorite parts of the trip.
We celebrated Christmas with my parents, but then flew to see Harmony’s parents the next day to celebrate with them. We played games, talked about possible baby names, and discussed how they could be with Harmony when her due date nears. It was one of the biggest concerns I had—that Harmony would be alone when the baby came along. But after talking to my parents and hers, they both reassured me that between the four of them, that wouldn’t happen. They’d be there for us, something I should have believed from the very beginning. In fact, when Dad told me family first, baseball second, I should have been completely convinced.
We just returned back from winter break, and the first thing I had to do was report back to Coach and do a stress test. I passed with flying colors and told him everything was good with Harmony. He acted as though he didn’t care, but I could see the settled look in his eyes when I told him about the baby and the plans we have for when Harmony’s due date comes along. Coach Disik might be a dick most of the time, and he teaches lessons at boss level, but he does care about us, in an offhand, threatening way. But he’s prepping us for the real world, for ball clubs that don’t care about anything except homeruns and jersey sales. His approach is brash, hard, and blunt, but it’s only a small taste of what we’ll get when we move to the big leagues. I was grateful for the lesson, but even more grateful I don’t have to fall to his wrath again.
Before I left my meeting with Coach Disik, he informed me he got a call from California. The Saints are very interested in me. Their farm system is in California, meaning we very well might have a California baby. I told Harmony right away, and she slowly nodded and said she could get used to the prospect of living in California. My babe out on the beach in a two-piece . . . yeah, I could get used to that. Things would come full circle for us.
But back to the horny thing.
Harmony has been clawing at me for weeks now. She can’t get enough.
Every time I even look at her, she wants me. She’s pulling my pants down. I’m not complaining, but, hell, she’s wearing me out. I finally had to shave my beard because I realized that was a major source of her infatuation. She loved the way it felt between her legs. She craved it.
To save my own sanity, I got rid of it.
And, oh boy, was she not happy.
That was a big fight, but I then made it up to her by bending her over her desk and taking her from behind, her new favorite position.
“God, I feel good,” she says, flipping her hair behind her ear. “I’m ready to eat.”
“You know, I’m noticing a trend with you. You always want to eat after we have sex.”
“You make me ravenous.” She stands on her toes and presses a kiss to my lips. “Can we get pizza?”
“Anything you want, baby.” I take her hand in mine and head toward the door, just as it opens.
Coach Disik walks in but stops when he catches me and Harmony right in front of him. He looks at our hands, then his eyes travel up our bodies. “Jesus Christ,” he mutters before pushing past us.
“Don’t you want to meet Harmony?” I call out.
Instead of answering, all he says is, “You better not have left a goddamn mess.”
Harmony buries her head in my shoulder, completely mortified.
“Used a condom, Coach—”
Harmony smacks my stomach. “Oh my God, Holt.”
I chuckle. “Trust me, babe. You’re probably not the first girl he’s seen in the locker room and most likely won’t be the last, either.” I press a kiss to her hand and walk her out to the parking lot to my BMW.
“Are you going to tell the guys? I know how conquests like that are required to be shared.”
“Nah, I’m not that guy.” I open the door for her, but she stands in front of it and doesn’t get in.
“You know, you could tell them.”
Confused, I ask, “Do you want me to tell them?”
Her hand plays with the hem of my shirt. “Yeah.” Her eyes connect with mine. “I want them to know for certain where we’re headed.”
I smile. “Claiming me, babe?”
“Yes. Yes, I am.” She presses a kiss to my lips and I reciprocate, snagging my hand around her waist.
I will never understand how I was able to shift this girl’s axis and become someone vital in her life. But I know with absolute certainty, the day I decided to look past a prickly façade and see something in a beautiful girl’s anger—and look her up in the school database—was the day I made the best decision of my life.
THE END
Keep reading for a link to an EXTENDED EPILOGUE about Holt and Harmony and for an excerpt from The Wedding Game.
More from the
Brentwood Boys:
The Locker Room
The Dugout
The Lineup
The Trade
The Change Up
The Setup
Excerpt - The Wedding Game
Prologue
THADDEUS
First things first: this story isn’t about me.
Well . . . technically, it is about me, but it isn’t about me.
It’s about my brother, Alec Baxter. Ever hear of the gorgeous bastard? He’s the top divorce lawyer in New York City.
Cunning, devilishly handsome—just like me—has big hands, and scowls at almost any mention of a hot dog. Not a fan—he doesn’t get it, never will.
He’s my best friend, my partner in crime, the guy I look up to, and my one and only hero . . . despite talking to him maybe every three months, barely seeing him on holidays, and waiting weeks just for a simple response to a text message.
Sounds like a one-sided brother-ship, right? Kind of is, but hey, that’s okay. The man is busy. And he spent most of our childhood making sure I wasn’t completely scarred by our parents and their inability to shield their children from their awful marriage. They really had a habit of airing out their grievances like dirty panties on laundry day.
I can still remember Alec charging into my room whenever our parents started going at it, then leading me down the fire escape of our Park Avenue apartment and taking me to the bakery down the street. We would share a cannoli and just stare at each other, both knowing what was happening a mere block away but never talking about it.
But enough with the sob fest—that’s not what this story is about. No, it’s about the complete and utter betrayal I’ve suffered at the hands of the aforementioned brother. My own kin, my own blood, my hero . . .
He may be my best friend, but he’s betrayed me in every way possible.
Hefty words, right?
Fighting words.
Well, I speak the truth.
What happened? Let me give you a little prelude to the disaster that my life has turned into.
It all started when I found out my beautiful fiancée, Naomi, is pregnant. I had to make some hard decisions, and the wedding of my dreams—yes, my dreams—had to be swapped out for a wedding on a budget. I needed to save for a home, not the event of the century.
It was a tough pill to swallow. I may have hyperventilated into the drawer of my office desk a few times as I tried to come to terms with it all.
But then one day, after a good breathing session into beautifully stained mahogany, I thought of something: freebies.
I’m a corporate-event planner for Golf Galaxy, Manhattan’s premier golf range and party center for executives. For all your corporate-event needs, please contact Thaddeus Baxter.
I rub elbows with the wealthy on a daily basis, and I figured, why not take advantage of that. Ask around, see if I can find any perks from my job.
Unfortunately, all the asses I’ve been kissing for the past few years want nothing to do with me. Can’t possibly see why. I’m charming—slightly dramatic, perhaps—but I can make the best margarita when pressed to, and I’ll even shake my maracas when handing it over. And when I say maracas, I mean my burly balls. Ahem, my nutsac.
An absolute delight of a gentleman. That’s me.
So, once again reduced to a deeply depressed state, I found myself hunched over my computer—leftover margarita from an event in hand, scanning through wedding websites—when I saw it.
The answer to all my prayers.
It was as if God had parted the clouds and, with his lightning-striking finger, booped me on the nose and pointed me in the right direction.
The Wedding Game was casting.
TV’s favorite wedding reality show was looking for couples to take on the challenge of creating a wedding on a budget. Tulle, roses, bunting, tea lights, tuxes—all there, ready to be pulled together into the best wedding ever.
Sign me up.
But being in the spotlight of every bridezilla’s dream wasn’t my main reason for filling out the application.
You can bet your belly button–caressing tits there was a prize.
You’ll never guess what it was. I’m not even going to give you a chance to figure it out.
It wasn’t your typical Sandals destination honeymoon with all-you-can-eat buffets.
Nope. It was a GD penthouse in New York City.
Penthouse!
The dream of all dreams.
Before I even read the fine print, I had the application filled out and ready to send.
So what does this have to do with the kind of betrayal that would make the Game of Thrones cast blush?
The number one rule of The Wedding Game: you have to have at least one family member on your team. Given my childhood’s emotional baggage, there was only one person I could rely on.
Alec.
And that, my friends, is where the betrayal comes in.
Don’t believe my brother could be so coldhearted as to deceitfully ensnare his own flesh and blood?
Guess again.
He did.
Just see for yourself . . .
Pre-Order The Wedding Game HERE
Read the EXTENDED EPILOGUE of The Strike Out HERE
More Books by Meghan Quinn
-All Books Available in Kindle Unlimited-
The Kings of Football Series
(New Adult Sports Romance)
The Romantic Pact
Standalone Sports Romances
(Baseball Romances)
The Locker Room
The Dugout
The Lineup
The Trade
The Change Up
The Setup
Standalone, Laugh Out Loud, Romantic Comedies
See Me After Class
The Modern Gentleman
The Wedding Game
The Bromance Club Series
(Millionaire Romances)
The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend’s Sister
Diary of a Bad Boy
Boss Man Bridegroom
Port Snow Series
(Small Town Romances)
That Second Chance
That Forever Girl
That Secret Crush
That Swoony Feeling
The Duets
(Complete Box Set compiling The Blue Line Duet and The Perfect Duet in one place)
The Duets
The Romance Novelist Chronicles
(Hilarious, laugh out loud romantic comedies)
**The Virgin Romance Novelist, The Randy Romance Novelist, and The Parenting Romance Novelist are all combined into one book The Virgin Romance Novelist Chronicles**
The Virgin Romance Novelist Chronicles
The Virgin Romance Novelist
Co-Written with Sara Ney
(A sexy, smart, heart swooning office romance with the boss)
Love Sincerely Yours
The Perfect Duet
(A heartfelt romance that will leave you breathless)
The Left Side of Perfect
The Right Side of Forever
The Blue Line Duet
(An epic romance with many twists and turns)
The Upside of Falling
The Downside of Love
The Dating by Numbers Series
(Adventurous dating series full of laugh out loud moments and very heated scenes)
Three Blind Dates
Two Wedding Crashers
Back in the Game
One Baby Daddy
The Binghamton Series
(Full of heart, humor, and heat and some HOT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS)
Co-Wrecker
My Best Friend’s Ex
Tangled Twosome
The Other Brother
Standalone Novels
The Mother Road
(A family road trip romantic comedy)
Newly Exposed
(May the force be with this male model, a romantic comedy)
Dear Life
(A life changing contemporary romance)
The Stroked Series
(HOT sports romance with plenty of humor)
STROKED
STROKED LONG
STROKED HARD
The Jett Girl Series
(Sassy, erotic romance with a gorgeous, protective alpha male)
Bourbon Sins
Bourbon Deceit
Bourbon Kingdom
Bourbon Truths
The Love and Sports Series
(New Adult, Football sports romance with plenty of twists)
Fair Catch
Double Coverage
Three and Out
The Hot-Lanta Series
(My first series ever. Baseball sports romance with lots of drama!)
Caught Looking
Playing the Field
Warning Track
Hit and Run
The Strike Out Page 29