I just wanted to keep things excited, to show my husband that I can still be fun and spontaneous.
Angie squints up at me. “I don’t have great lighting in here but it looks like it might be an allergic reaction to the ink.”
“An allergic reaction?” I wail.
“Don’t catastrophize, Viv.” A knowing smile hugs her face as she rises to standing position. “It’s nothing that a round of antibiotics, some topical ointment and a little TLC won’t fix.” She snaps a wink in my husband’s direction.
He doesn’t seem utterly repulsed by the idea of having to rub ointment all over my bum for the foreseeable future. Bless this man.
The doctor gives me a reassuring pat on the shoulder as she edges by me. “I’ll examine it more thoroughly when we land but for now, I’ll ask the air hostess to get you a few extra cushions to sit on.”
My husband nods at the doctor in a show of gratitude. “Thanks, Angie.”
Her gaze goes between Clinton and me. “Way to keep it fresh and exciting, huh, you guys?” With a mischievous smile, she spins around, headed back to her seat.
Clinton steps in closer and places both hands on my shoulders. “Y’see—I told you it wasn’t that bad.”
“I was just trying to do something sexy. Now, you’re going to have to rub butt ointment all over me three times a day,” I whine.
His nostrils twitch with restrained laughter. “I would gladly rub butt ointment all over you three times a day.” His fingers move across my waist. “Anything to get my paws on that hot ass.”
I roll my eyes despite my smile. “And it’s gonna get all over our sheets.”
“As long as you’re in bed next to me, I don’t care if there’s ointment on the sheets,” he counters as he pulls me close and tightens his arms around me.
My cheek nuzzles against his steadily pounding heart. This man is my rock, my home.
These past ten years with him have been an adventure. Two children. Two rapidly-expanding businesses. If buying and selling our house—twice—didn’t break us up, nothing ever will. Clinton Alvarez pushes me to my limits. He never lets me fall back into my old comfort zone. He challenges me. I love that about him.
And it’s not just the wild and crazy things that he 100% co-signs. He supports me in business and in the pursuit of my dreams. Like when Reese came up with the idea to open a Broken Cupcake location in Ridgeland, I thought she was crazy. I mean—do Ridgish people even know what cupcakes are? I was against it but Clint encouraged me to take a leap of faith and it’s one that’s paying off handsomely today. And of course, when he began to expand the Rusty Razor with locations across the state of Illinois, I was right there, with my checklists and my expense reports and all the encouragement he could ever ask for.
He’s my biggest fan and I’m his. We’re both better people today because we found each other all those years ago.
Plus, he has gray pubes now, too. So, I guess we’re even.
With a finger under my chin, he tilts my face up to his. “What are you giggling about?”
My gaze holds onto his. “Baby, I love you…”
“I love you more.” He kisses the tip of my nose.
My fingers lock in his sexy, salt-and-pepper hair. We get lost in a deep, stirring kiss. We forget that we’re in a toilet stall in the middle of the sky. Wherever I am with him is all kinds of romantic.
We hit a patch of turbulence and right before I go crashing onto my poor, delicate ass, he saves me.
My bad boy saves the day.
He’s been saving me every day since the day I met him.
Sadie & Xavier
Sadie
Xavier leans over the long mahogany conference table and slams the thick sheaf of papers down in the middle. "The provisions of this bill are wholly unacceptable, an insult to the children of Ridgeland."
Oh, my lace and satin knickers. There's something so incredibly hot about a powerful man.
And King Xavier George Andrew Henry Cambridge is about as powerful as it gets.
Now, I should note, my man only ever gets this angry when it comes to education reform. It's a point that he and his parliament are constantly at odds over.
But I can’t fault him. He’s a father. There is nothing he loves more than his two children. He knows they are literally the future of this nation. So he gets fired up about working to improve Ridgeland’s education system. Also, although we’ve never discussed this directly, I think he's keenly alert to the fact that, not so long ago, pursuing my education was all I wanted but nothing felt further from possible. That’s part of why Xavier is so sensitive about the topic.
Fumbling, the education minister reaches for the document on the table. "My aides and I will work through the night, your Majesty. We won't disappoint you."
“Good,” Xavier growls. "I don't want you using budgetary constraints as an excuse." The young king drops back into his seat, claiming a calming breath and adjusting his tie. "I'm giving you two days to clean up this mess and come up with a plan that honors our future by ensuring our children get the kind of education they deserve."
Visibly shaken, the red-faced man rises from his seat. "Yes, Sir. Yes, of course." He haphazardly gathers his briefcase and other belongings in shaking arms.
I touch a hand to his wrist, hoping to reassure him. "Please call my office for help overcoming any monetary roadblocks you come up against. We have a good relationship with the Finance Minister and can help you coax him if he gives you a hard time."
My husband's voice echoes off the high wood-panelled walls. "Or I can threaten—"
"Xavier..." I flash him a look and adjust the bow at the neckline of my crème silk blouse. His nostrils flare but he stands down. For now.
The stocky politician sighs with relief. "We will be in touch, Queen Sadie. Thank you." He bows reverently to the two of us and exits the room.
I lean back in my chair and tilt my head to the side. "Why do you have to be so hard on him?"
With one hell of a sexy smirk on his lips, the young King of Ridgeland rises from his seat and crosses the antique rug, swaggering in my direction. It's crazy how that insanely confident stride still turns my insides into a hot, sticky puddle of goo.
He knows it.
My man takes a seat on the edge of the table right in front of me. "I'm thinking of a dozen puns revolving around me and you and the word hard right now." He slowly drags his tongue along the seam of his lips. That same tongue that did very naughty things to me this morning, that drove me to a roaring orgasm at the break of dawn.
Warmth gathers in my belly at the thought. "Keep your puns to yourself." I laugh.
He reaches out and slides a lock of my purple hair behind my ear before allowing his soft touch to trace my jawline. “You love my puns.” He smirks.
"Don't try to veer off topic," I say, even as I reach below his tailored suit jacket and run my hands down the hard planes of his chest. I silently curse his white button-down shirt for coming between us.
He leans closer for a kiss. "Hard to stay on topic when you're pouting those sexy lips at me, darling." His tongue sweeps into my mouth. I moan and his lips curve up into a smile. "Was that another pun? Oops!"
“You’re so corny.” Lips pressed together, we both snort laughter.
I love this man.
I love his awful jokes and his mischievous smile and his kind heart. I love how passionate he is about his work, how uncompromising he is about the causes that are important to him, how seriously he takes his role in shaping Ridgeland's future. He brings that same level of commitment to our family and I do everything in my power to support him.
This life I lead is a fairy tale. I am hands-on with our children. I make sure to be Xavier's sounding board when he needs it. I balance out his temperament which is often crucial in ensuring that half of Parliament doesn't show up with pitchforks at the palace gates. Because of that skill, I've held the official role of one of my husband's senior advisors since the day I grad
uated with my business degree.
Sometimes, I can't even believe this is my reality.
I was a lost and frustrated bakery manager in a backwoods Illinois town. I couldn't even scrape together enough money to finish school. Now, I literally have a kingdom at my feet and a charming prince who gives me happily-ever-after every, single day.
I stroke my husband's clean-shaven chin. "Have I ever mentioned that I fucking love you?"
His eyes are a little unfocused—love-drunk—as he watches me. "Only about a dozen times a day…Not nearly enough."
I don't even try to not roll my eyes.
But in all seriousness, this man gives me life. He respects my intelligence and my opinion. He enjoys my sense of humor. He worships my body. He accepts me the way I am.
I was never bold enough to even dream I'd find a man like him in this lifetime. But here we are. We've been married for a decade. We have two beautiful children. We rule a freaking monarchy together.
“All I’m saying is, the life you’ve given me has been beyond my wildest dreams.”
He twirls a lock of my bold mauve hair around his finger. "Darling, it's the life we've built together. And I love you, my Sadie."
“You always say the right thing…” My chest tightens as emotion rushes through me.
He chuckles low but his eyes are full of earnestness. "You're more than just my wife, darling. You're my most trusted advisor. In politics, in love, in life. You're my best friend. And you have the ever most sexiest ass..."
I giggle and yank him toward me by the collar. We start getting really caught up in the kiss. Things are definitely escalating. He hauls me up so I'm standing in front of him. Just an excuse for him to cop a feel. Not that I’m complaining.
I grope him right back. Because I am all about equal opportunity.
And as usual, Thomas bursts in to be a joykill. He clears his throat from the doorway. When my head snaps over to him, he gives me a bored smile. He's seen us in far more compromising situations over the years.
"Queen Sadie, your guests have arrived."
I leap from my husband's arms and squeal. "They're here?"
The secretary nods and I think I'll pass out from giddiness. "I've seated them in the east wing drawing room."
While Skyping with Reese a few months ago, she mentioned that she and the gang were looking for resorts for a couples' vacation. I was like, "No freaking way are you guys going to some rickety hotel. Have you seen those news reports about hotel room blacklights?! Yuck!" At that, it was settled. And now my old friends are here in Ridgeland. For a whole freakin' week.
It's about to get lit!
Xavier grins at my excitement. "Thomas, please ask my grandmother if she's still interested in joining us for tea."
"Of course, sir." He scuttles out of the room. Xavier's grip locks on my tattooed fingers. "Come on, darling. Let's go make our royal entrance."
Reese & Leo
Reese
The sun slowly descends behind the lush, green mountains in the distance. A warm breeze dances across the surface of the sand. I’m stretched out in a lounge chair, enjoying the clean scent of the ocean and the margarita in my hand that magically gets refilled every time it starts to run low.
This is the life!
I angle my face up to the sky and sigh. “I’m having drinks on the beach. With the Queen of Ridgeland.”
Eyes shut under her massive sunglasses, Sadie stretches a palm out to me. “High five, girl. High five.”
Vivian adjusts the icepack under her sore ass. "It seems like just yesterday you were twerking behind the cash register at the Broken Cupcake and I was chastising to act like a professional. And now, you give speeches at the United Nations and you represent the state in international delegations!"
Sadie laughs. “Do you always have to remind me about the twerking?”
My sister nods. “Always.”
“Well, I’m not the only one who’s come a long way,” the Queen retorts, jerking her chin in Vivian’s direction. “You were the most conventional, unadventurous, stick-in-the-mud person I’d ever met. And now, here you are getting ass tattoos.”
“I was not that conventional,” she defends.
I jump in. “Um, yes you were. Need I remind you of the time you threatened to murder me if I got married before you?”
Nova lifts her head from the horizontal lounge chair where she’s tanning her ass. “And don’t think Charlie didn’t tell me that you tried to get him to loan you my engagement ring.” The top of her orange two-piece bikini lies abandoned under her chair.
Looking uncomfortable, Viv turns her attention over to the edge of the water where the men are playing a way-too-competitive game of volleyball. “Speaking of Charlie, can someone please explain to me why my brother is wearing an orange Speedo?”
Sophia and Angie saunter up to us and plop down in the sand near my feet. “We all know that Nova and Charlie have been doing the whole matching outfits thing for years now.” Sophia giggles and takes a sip of her bright red cocktail.
“It’s juvenile,” Viv says.
Nova flashes a crooked smile. “My man is secure in his manliness.” She inelegantly shoves a tortilla chip into her mouth.
I think we all roll our eyes at that one.
“You mean he’s—” Cough, cough. “—pussy-whipped?” When Nova throws Angie an offended glare, the doctor rubs a hand on her chest. “Excuse me. Congestion.”
We all laugh.
“If anyone’s pussy-whipped, it’s Archie,” Sadie observes, “Every time, I glance over at the men, he’s staring at his wife like he wants to throw her over his shoulder and carry her behind those bushes over there!”
And of course, Sophia’s blushing and fanning herself as she glances at her husband. “Guys, things are just as hot between us today as they were on the first night I met him at that Las Vegas bar.” She swallows. “I still can’t believe I got this lucky.”
I sit up in my chair and lift my sunglasses from my eyes. “Speaking of lucky, I definitely won the hubby lottery. God, my husband is fine.”
Leo Montgomery moves across the sand. His tanned chest and broad shoulders make my mouth water. Piercing blue eyes, brows pinched in the middle, sexy lips puled into a frown. He’s wearing his trademark brooding-dad look that drives me wild.
I still haven’t found an antiperspirant strong enough to combat his level of man heat.
He holds up his telephone so I can see the screen. “The twins just sent me this.”
I take the phone from him and hit ‘play’ on the video.
I’m not sure whether I’m going to have a panic attack or fall out of my chair, laughing in hysteria.
“Go, Brenton!” Nova mutters over my left shoulder.
I hear Sadie struggling to contain her giggles over my right shoulder. “Did he get his dance moves from his dad?”
I glare at them both.
“There’s nothing funny about this.” My stomach is in knots as I watch my rhythm-less, hormonal teen doing a klutzy version of the ‘washing machine’ all over a bony blonde with braces.
In my living room.
On top of my antique center table.
“Excuse me,” I say as I rise out of my seat. “Leo and I need to go deal with this.”
“Oh come on,” Angie calls after me as I grab my husband’s hand, headed up the hill toward the palace where we’re staying. “The parents go out of town, the kids throw a party. It’s a tale as old as time.”
I’m not having it. I’m not a fan of logic right now. As a mother, I am not emotionally equipped to deal with the fact that my kids are growing up so damn fast.
Leo isn’t handling it well, either, if the look on his face is any indication of how he feels.
“I specifically told him—no parties,” Leo rants as we walk away from the beach. “And the minute we walk out of the house, what does he do? He throws a party.” My feet sink into the sand. I’m out of breath. Not to mention, my legs are way t
oo short to keep up with his angry stride. “He’s going to be grounded until he’s 21. I swear. Just you watch and see.”
It’s only once he’s standing at the top of a steep section of the hill that he slows down and throws a glance over his shoulder. Just in time to see my non-athletic ass skid right down to the bottom.
“Oh my god. Reese!” He jogs back in my direction and within seconds, he’s hauling me up into his arms. “Are you okay, baby?”
I look up into his handsome face and grin. “Must be all the cupcakes.”
And finally, finally, he cracks a smile. He nuzzles his nose against mine. “My Cupcake Girl.”
Together, we take a moment to just…breathe. Feels like the first time we’ve done that in years.
Our life together has been incredible. We have three beautiful children and a loving home. Two years ago, Leo and Archie finally convinced Charlie to sell them shares in the construction business and now, the three of them run it together. As for the bakery, I’ve lost track of how many locations the Broken Cupcake has today. But my proudest achievement in all these years has been the bond I’ve built with this man. It’s been hard work. We’ve had to make compromises and share parts of ourselves that it would have been easier to keep concealed. But it has been so absolutely worth it. Today, our relationship is rich and honest. We’re best friends. And the sex is sizzlin’.
“Go easy on him,” I beg softly on Brenton’s behalf.
He’s a good kid. He’s on the honor roll, he plays basketball for his school team and he volunteers at the community center down in Reyfield without having to be coerced. He’s a great role model to his siblings. Usually. He deserves to have a little fun. But I hope he paid attention in his woodworking class because if there’s even a scratch on my antique center table, he will be making a home for himself in the attic for the foreseeable future.
The Blue Collar Bachelors Box Set: The Complete Blue Collar Bachelors Series Page 127