by Jenna Gunn
He was always the one for me.
And I’m so blessed to get a second chance with him.
I cry out his name when I come. He breathes, “I love you, Mia,” against my ear as he shatters against me. And even though we don’t leap into the air, my heart soars higher than ever before.
Epilogue
One Year Later
I’ve been here before. The last time we were here on this very overlook we were here to elope. Same date, seven years ago. Today we’re far from alone. Everything is different. For starters, this time we’re not twenty and twenty-one. That was an eon ago.
Bishop wanted a big family wedding this time. So here we are surrounded by the people who make our lives richer every day.
The family has grown by leaps and bounds since our first marriage. I’m gaining three sisters and a herd of little nieces and nephews. Thankfully, Ben is perfectly capable of managing any and all of them. He has Bruno for the day and has no problem taking on the precocious little guy.
“Hold, still, please.” Dr. Abby laughs as she tries to fix the train of my dress for the third time.
“Sorry, I can’t. I’m so nervous.”
She fluffs the white lacy fabric one more time until it lies perfectly on the grass.
Maddy comes toward us, grinning, holding her hand out. “Something borrowed and something blue.” In her hand lies a tiny hand knit baby sock. She giggles, “I know it’s odd, but it was all I could find that was blue at the last moment.”
Suddenly tears burst into my eyes.
Maddy’s face drops. “Oh, no! What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”
I laugh through my tears. “No. It’s perfect. Just perfect.” I grab Maddy’s hand. “I’ve been dying to tell you gals, but I can’t wait any longer. I’m pregnant.”
Maddy jumps up and down. Wraps her arms around my neck. Abby laughs. Thank goodness we are safely hidden behind a thicket of trees, or Bishop would definitely know something is up.
Anya and Raven hurry over from the bench where they had been putting a few bobby pins in Anya’s curls. Anya says, “What’s going on over here?”
Abby smiles. “Mia has a secret.”
“Shhh… Bishop doesn’t know yet, I’m telling him tonight. I’m pregnant.”
Maddy whispers. “Melt my heart right now! How romantic is that?”
I take the sock. “Now, where am I going to put this?”
Abby points at my boobs. “How about in there?”
My eyes flick to her as I smile, “Great idea.” I push the little blue sock into my bodice, the perfect place for hiding it.
Suddenly the music changes. “Oh, my god. Is that…”
Abby smiles. “The song.” She kisses me on the cheek. “You look stunning. Now let’s go get your man for you.”
I do a little shiver dance and take a deep breath.
I know Bishop and his brothers are standing at the overlook with shoulders that are broad and strong in their gray tuxedos. I can’t wait to walk down that path and stand with the man who makes my heart sing every day.
The girls lead the way. And I step out from behind the thicket of trees. Abby, Raven, Anya, and Maddy slowly walk toward the beautiful overlook, their lavender dresses almost perfectly matched to the color of the sunset clouds.
And there, waiting with a solemn look on his gorgeous face, is Bishop.
The one for me.
Our love is stronger than ever. Forged by fire, as Bishop says.
I came so close to losing it all. A sobering thought that leaves my throat dry as I get ready to take that final walk to becoming his wife again.
Smiling faces surround me as I walk toward Bishop. My heart bursts with golden love. Bruno waves to me. He looks so cute in his little purple bowtie. Ben, Bishop’s dad has him in his arms. Bruno wanted no part of waiting with me or walking with me once he saw his best buddy, his “Poppyda” as he calls him.
I’m squeezing the stems of the flowers in my hands so hard I expect them to melt between my fingers any second. My body is bursting with happy energy. I want to pinch myself. This is real.
Bishop’s serious face tips up into a smile. “Hello beautiful.”
“Hello to you too.”
He leans in and kisses me softly on the cheek. “You look amazing. I love the purple.”
I laugh, some of the nervous energy leaving my body. I knew he’d like the purple streaks that I dyed into my blonde waves to match the bouquets and the girl’s dresses. It matches the little flower he has on his lapel too.
Christian clears his throat, “Let’s begin.” It seems Christian has gotten himself into officiating Archer weddings as of late, which I love. It feels so much more intimate than when we met the random minister here all those years ago.
Bishop and I both grin at him like silly fools as he looks at us with serious blue eyes.
We’re probably not supposed to hold hands the whole time, but we do. We laugh and tears leak out of both our eyes as we say our vows.
The girls laugh behind me. Bryce and Brandon try to remain solemn, their faces schooled to seemingly appropriate seriousness. Ty on the other hand winks at me and grins.
Everything is perfect. Just perfect.
When Christian pronounces us man and wife, I wrap my arms around my husband’s strong shoulders. He’s my rock. My real life rescuer. My sunshine. My twin flame.
Bishop lifts me off the ground and spins me in a slow circle, my train wrapping us up in a cloud of white.
I barely hear the clapping. His kiss is all I know. All I need.
When I come back to earth, we’re swarmed by hugs and handshakes. Bruno runs to Bishop and wraps his arm around his daddy’s leg. “Congratulations!” Ben says as he pulls Bishop into a hug.
“Time for food and drink! Come on, let’s go.” Calls Brandon, looking relieved that the serious part is over. Anya wraps her arm in his. “I’d follow you anywhere, but we need to save Jeremy from babysitting first.”
Jeremy angles his way through the crowd. He laughs and hands over Emmie to Brandon. “She slept the whole time. Thank god. But I think I’m getting the hang of this kid thing.”
Bishop laughs, “Great, because the family might need some extra help with Bruno while we’re honeymooning.”
My head whips around, “Honeymoon?”
“Oh yeah, I didn’t tell you.”
I pinch his arm. “No, you didn’t.”
Anya grabs Christian, “Come on everyone. Let’s go and let the newlyweds have a moment alone to talk.”
We’re left on the beautiful overlook. Bishop wraps his arm around my shoulder and I twist back and forth. “Come on, spit it out.”
He grins, “I love surprising you.”
“You… I told you no more surprises. The gym is the crème de la crème of surprises.”
“This is just the cherry on top.”
I grab his lapels. “Okay, big guy. Spill it, tell me.”
“We leave Monday for Europe for two weeks—Spain, Italy, Portugal, and France.”
My eyes fly wide. “No! Really?”
He nods, “I’ve only been once, and I know you love it there. So you are going to be my tour guide.”
“Come here.” I pull him down. I wrap my hands around his face and slowly kiss him. Savoring every feel and taste of this incredible man.
“I have a surprise too.”
He laughs. “Hopefully not a honeymoon.”
“No….this one lasts a lot longer.”
I wiggle my fingers down into my bodice. His eyes narrow in amusement. “I can help with that if you’d like.”
After a few seconds, I find what I want. “Give me your hand.”
He opens his big palm to me. I lay the tiny blue baby sock in the middle of this palm. His eyes go from amused to shocked.
“A baby?” He rasps.
I nod. “You’re going to be a daddy, again.”
He lets out a loud whoop and grabs me. “Best day ever.”
&
nbsp; “It was amazing. I loved every minute of it.” I say as I snuggle into Bishop in our bed, in our own apartment. I yawn a giant yawn. It feels so good to be home too, with Bruno asleep in his little bed just down the hall.
I love it here, but I know I’ll dream of all the amazing places we went on the honeymoon. So many incredible sights. Sooo much delicious food. And my god, the love we made… I’ll never look at the man the same after those nights.
Bishop rubs his hand softly over my bare stomach. “You were a trooper, being pregnant and all.”
“I felt great, ninety-nine percent of the time. Except that one day…”
We both burst out laughing. That one day was the only day I was morning sick… and it happened to be when we were on a jam-packed train. Embarrassment burns my face. “That poor guy. As soon as I threw up, he turned the color of grass.”
Bishop laughs hard for a moment. “He wasn’t the only one.”
“Yeah, how many people yakked?” I laugh, “I have no clue. I had my head in a bag.”
“Let’s just say a few. I’m sure a lot of people are still telling that story.”
Bishop pulls the blanket up high over us and clicks the light off. I yawn again like a big sleepy bear. “I’m wiped out. All that amazing vacation time plus two full days of travel—plus a whirlwind reunion with Bruno and I’m ready for about twenty-four hours of sleep. Thank god I don’t have to teach any classes tomorrow.”
Bishop chuckles. “I guess I should wait to tell you that we’re going to be really busy this weekend.”
“Please don’t tell me.” I roll into his shoulder. I close my eyes and try to ignore his last comment. But I can’t. “You devil. Why are we going to be busy this weekend?”
“Dad stopped by while you were out playing with Bruno. He’s moving downstairs and we’re moving upstairs. Taking over the big house.”
I sit bolt upright in the bed. So much for sleeping. “No… are you kidding me?”
He pulls me back down. “Mia Archer. Do I ever lie to you?”
“No. You don’t.”
“He heard a little rumor about another baby being on the way and knew we would need the space for our growing family.”
“Is he okay with living down here in the apartment?”
“He told me that’s been his plan all along. He knew one day that one of us boys would take over the house. But he made me make a promise…”
I laugh, “Like what, keep all his nineteen seventies movie posters art on the walls?”
Bishop throws his leg over mine and nuzzles against my ear. “Nope, one that’s a lot more fun…to fill the house with kids. And I agreed.”
If you loved this book, you’ll love the other Archer Brothers. Grab Book 1 Boss Rules here, a steamy standalone action boss romance here. Book 5 comes out soon too!
Sneak Peek- Boss Rules
Bringer of earth shattering O’s
Last night’s
Today my new boss.
He left my voice shredded.
My body in withdrawal.
Best night ever.
But seeing him again is too taboo.
Puts both our careers on the line.
The rule book says we’re done.
But the electricity between us says we’re not.
If I become the secret lover…
That new job in the perfect town could go up in smoke.
But the bad boy boss wants to play with fire.
And apparently so do I...
It’s a dumpster fire in the making.
And when our fun goes sideways...
He’s not the one that’s knocked up with their dreams in tatters.
Chapter 1
The lady at the ticket office said the train was almost full and wished me luck in a flat voice. That’s never a good sign.
I pass by dozens of faces along the narrow aisle, most of which are buried in some kind of screen. A few glance my direction with sympathetic expressions. Yeah, I’m that girl. The one who was late. The one that can’t find a seat.
I finally see an empty place three rows from the very back. There’s a man in the aisle seat, but the window seat appears to be vacant.
“Excuse me, is that seat taken?”
Please let it be open because I have no clue what to do, oh wow—
The gaze that swings my way draws me up short. My breath catches somewhere around my heart.
The man’s Caribbean turquoise eyes are as clear as fine crystal and set in the kind of perfectly rugged male face that makes you forget your name.
Or worship his name.
He grins, reducing me to an unblinking stare and a very inappropriate gasp. “I guess it is now.” His voice is deep, like a mysterious, sensuous tendril of smoke that reaches right out to me, curling its way into my very core.
“Uh.” I clear my throat. The crazy beating in my chest—like a wild stampede—makes me waver. I clutch the seat-back, he watches me with humor dancing in those incredible pools of blue.
Great.
I’m just standing here like an idiot, swaying on my feet at the mere sound of his voice. “Okay then,” I mumble as I clutch my shoulder bag across my chest, hoping to keep my pitiful attempts at breathing hidden.
The man nods his head of buzz-cut hair and rises to let me into the window seat. My eyes follow him up.
And up.
At least six and a half feet up.
The edge of a seat presses into my back as I try to give him room, but there’s nowhere to go. We’re really close—I feel his body heat pouring out of him, unrestrained by the thin cotton of his shirt.
I’m fully aware he’s all hard planes and long limbs, barely separated from me by his pale gray t-shirt and a pair of palm leaf board shorts.
He smells like the ocean.
Welcome to California.
This ain’t Texas anymore—where men are far more likely to strut around in designer western jeans, shiny boots, and collared button-down shirts.
I could get used to this. It’s a lot more fun seeing all that muscle and tanned skin.
There’s barely enough room to wiggle past the giant of a man, but I manage. A surge of heat flashes up my body and sets my face on fire like a match tossed on gasoline.
Smoke alarms might start going off any second.
I look anywhere but at him as he settles his massive collection of hard, sculpted muscles into the seat next to me.
Hot. Hot. Hot.
His broad shoulder brushes me as I take my seat. “Excuse me for invading your half,” he murmurs in his panty-melting baritone.
Breathe girl. In. Out.
Fainting from pure lust would be the ultimate self-respect killer. But I swear, I feel like I’ve been caught in a tornado on a cloudless, sunny summer day.
I do not fawn over men like some teenage girl—
I’m a grown woman, for heaven’s sake.
Must be exhaustion—moving two thousand miles would do that to anyone.
Fanning myself, I try for an ounce of composure.
I feel his eyes on me as he comments, “Nice day for a train ride along the coast.”
“Perfect out there, but in here, it’s as hot as the hinges of Hell’s gate,” I grumble, fanning myself. So this is what an egg would feel like on hot pavement on an August day.
Watching my red-faced show, he laughs a low chuckle. “Is that a Texas drawl I hear? Ten bucks if you’re not a SoCal girl.”
“Guess I owe you a ten.”
“How about a beer instead?”
Well, well. Mr. Beautiful is flirty too.
He watches me wallow in my discomfort, which is more than a little obvious from the beads of sweat breaking out on my brow and the fact that I’m tugging at the collar of my t-shirt like I’ve got fire ants in there.
“Easy, girl, you look like you need a cold beer now. I thought Texas was hot. You’d think California would be cool by comparison.” He fans me with the magazine in his hand.
Embar
rassed, I mumble, “Well, who woulda known.”
Yeah, who woulda known I’d lose control of my hormones like a cowboy that dropped the reins of a startled horse.
Out of nowhere, there’s a sudden jolt.
Lord, is that an earthquake?
Eeek! It happens again, and I grab his arm by accident instead of the armrest. The train lurches forward; all that jiggling was just the thing rumbling to life.
Jerking my hand back from his sizzling skin, I wipe my palm on my thigh.
I sigh in relief.
Not the big one that all the Californians talk about.
But hey—if the “big one” did hit, at least I could hold on to him!
“Jumpy much?”
“I’m not used to trains. Or earthquakes for that matter.”
I realize the only “big one” in proximity at the moment is the one he’s probably carrying around between his legs.
Trying to gain my composure and dignity back, I grumble, “I’m normally not like this.” Pinning him with a glare, I insinuate that it’s his fault.
That smile. Those eyes…
“Glad to know I have that effect.” He flips open his magazine and folds one of his long legs across the other, taking up the whole damn row.
“Pfft.” Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. I swear, the man’s as cocky as a rooster at dawn. I can tell already.
The train rambles away from the station and emerges up onto a bluff, overlooking the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
With my face glued to the window like a little kid, I gawk in delight.
It’s more beautiful than I expected. It’s been years since I visited the beach here, but obviously, my memories were a poor snapshot. I’m really happy I bought the train ticket—my treat to celebrate a new beginning.
The Coaster train skims along the coast in Southern California, a sort of commuter and tourist train all mish-mashed into one. It gives you a damned fine view of the beach and the little towns along the way, according to their Tripadvisor page.