Miki’s divorce has been finalized. She’s back in Manhattan, living in my former apartment. I still see her, and the rest of my friends, every Monday night. No matter what else changes, the Thursday Night Drinking Pack will remain a fixture in our lives.
At my old firm, Lara finally made partner in January and I couldn’t be happier. We try to meet for lunch once a month. “It’s not the same without you,” she always tells me. “Can I talk you into coming back?”
Not a chance in hell. Despite my initial misgivings, I’m really happy about my new job.
“Ready to get out of here?” Asher frowns at me. “You’ve shaken the hand of every single person here and told them they’re doing a great job.”
“Sounds good.” I’d never admit it, but he’s right. The heat has sapped away my energy, and I’m exhausted. I really want a nap.
His intent gaze sweeps over my face, and I know he’s on to me. I smile at him. “I know, I know, I should have let Jeff break ground.”
His expression softens. “No you shouldn’t have,” he corrects me. “This is your baby. Without you, this project wouldn’t have made it past the planning stage. You deserve all the recognition and praise in the world for your work here.”
My fingers lace in his. “I’d have been lost without Hudson and you.”
His lips curl into an amused smile. “So you say,” he replies. “Yet Jeff tells me you’re doing just fine without our help.”
“Maybe,” I pout, “but I miss working with the two of you on a daily basis.”
Asher and Hudson are still around to help me if I need it, but now that the contest is over and I’ve been appointed the CEO of Hancock Construction, they’ve both cut back on their involvement. I do miss them, but I think it’s for the best. It’s not feasible for them to split their time between their companies and Hancock Construction. They’re just too busy.
Of course, Asher still helps me with thorny legal issues, and Hudson’s my first choice of architect. Even though he has a two-year wait list, he’s promised he’ll design an apartment complex in Chicago for us next year. Let’s just say it helps to be in a relationship with the guy who heads up New York’s best architecture firm.
I feel a pressure in my belly, and there’s a weird popping sensation, followed by an immediate gush of warm fluid that soaks through my panties. Oh my God, I think in horror, I just peed in public.
Then it dawns on me that my water just broke.
Fuck me. The baby’s not due for another two weeks, but it seems that my little monkey is done waiting.
I clutch at Asher’s suit-clad bicep. “Don’t freak out,” I tell him, “but I think the baby’s coming.”
His face whitens. Hudson hurries up to us. “Is everything okay?”
Two men who love me. A little baby to expand our lovely family. Everything is more than okay. Everything is perfect.
Eighteen long, exhausting hours later, I hold my baby in my arms, marveling at my little miracle. She’s beautiful. She has ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, and she can scream loud enough to wake the dead. “I wonder where she gets that from?” Hudson teases me.
I punch his bicep. “Cut it out.”
“Have you figured out her name yet?” Asher brushes his lips across the baby’s forehead gently, with so much love on his face that my eyes fill with tears.
Hudson looks up. We’ve been debating baby names for weeks. Somewhere at home, there’s a piece of paper with a list of our top five baby names for boys and girls, but I’ve held off making the final decision until the birth.
“Yes,” I tell them, holding the warm baby close. “Meet Natalie Janet Maria Williams.”
They’re lost for words. Natalie was Hudson’s mother’s name; Asher’s mom was called Maria. And of course, Janet is my mother’s name. Hudson and Asher’s mothers are dead now, but I can’t think of a better way to thank them for the gift of their sons than by naming our child after them.
I think Asher has tears in his eyes. He blinks rapidly and turns his face away from me, while Hudson clears his throat. “Wendy,” he says, “there was something we were going to do after the groundbreaking ceremony. Asher, you ready?”
Asher gathers his composure and nods. He takes a small square box out of his pocket, and my heart starts to hammer. “I know what we have is unorthodox,” he says, “but it works for us. The last six months have been the happiest of my life, and,” he pauses, “I want forever.”
Hudson laces his fingers in mine. “Wendy,” he says, “I love you. I love everything about you. I love living with you. Well, except for the low-fat ice cream you stash in the freezer. That stuff is just disgusting.”
“We’d go on our knees,” Asher adds, “but you’re in a hospital bed, and you’re holding Natalie. We should do this better, but I want to do this now.” He opens the box and pulls the ring out. “Will you make us the luckiest men in the world?” he asks.
“Will you marry us, Wendy?” Hudson’s expression is as serious as I’ve ever seen it. “Will you spend the rest of your life with us?”
The ring is beautiful. It has a large round diamond in the center, bracketed by two baguette-cut diamonds set on a platinum band. I barely have eyes for it; I can’t take my gaze off Hudson and Asher. “Yes,” I exclaim. Natalie twitches in her sleep, but doesn’t wake up. “Yes,” I repeat in a softer voice. “Of course I’ll marry you.” Tears trickle down my cheeks. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you too.”
They slip the ring on my finger. “We love you, Wendy.”
I look at my ring, then down at my peacefully sleeping baby, and finally up at the smiling faces of the men I’m going to marry. “I love you too.”
The Playing for Love series concludes with Messing With Miki. Releasing Spring 2017. Sign up to my mailing list to be notified when it’s out.
A Note from Tara
Dear readers,
I hope you enjoyed reading Wagering On Wendy.
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Tara
About Tara Crescent
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Tara Crescent writes steamy contemporary romances for readers who like hot, dominant heroes and strong, sassy heroines.
When she's not writing, she can be found curled up on a couch with a good book, often with a cat on her lap.
She lives in Toronto.
Tara also writes sci-fi romance as Lili Zander. Check her books out at http://www.lilizander.com
Find Tara on:
@TaraCrescent
tara.crescent
www.taracrescent.com
[email protected]
Also by Tara Crescent
The Playing for Love Series (Ménage MFM Romance)
Betting on Bailey
Gambling with Gabriella
Playing with Piper
Wagering on Wendy
Messing with Miki - coming Spring 2017!
The Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Series (Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy)
A Touch of Blackmail
A Very Paisley Christmas
Boyfriend by the Hour
The Assassin’s Revenge Series (Romantic Suspense)
Assassin’s Revenge - The Complete Series
Found (Book 1)
Bought (Book 2)
Freed (Book 3)
Claimed (Book 4)
The Storm Series (BDSM Romance)
Storm: The Complete Collection
Which includes…
Storm Episode 1: The Hottest Guy in Hollywood
Storm Episode 2: Kinky Valentine
Storm Episode 3: A Road to Forgiveness
Storm Episode 4: Tabloid Trouble
Storm Episode 5: Home is Where the Vibrator is
Nights in Venice Series (BDSM Romance)
A Thief in Venice (Nights in Venice Book 1)
An Heiress in Venice (Nights in Venice Book 2)
A Starlet in Venice (Nights in Venice Book 3)
Standalone Romance
Dirty X6 (A MFMMMMM Menage Romance)
MAX: A Friends to Lovers Romance
Teaching Maya
The House of Pain
The Professor’s Pet & follow-up short The Professor’s Girlfriend
The Audition
The Watcher
The Doctor Dom Series (BDSM & Medical Play)
Triage (Doctor Dom Volume 1)
Observation (Doctor Dom Volume 2)
Diagnosis (Doctor Dom Volume 3)
Relapse (Doctor Dom Volume 4)
Recovery (Doctor Dom Volume 5)
Or, buy the collections for a discount…
Doctor Dom Series Sequence One (Triage | Observation | Diagnosis)
Doctor Dom Series Sequence Two (Relapse | Recovery)
You can also keep track of my new releases by signing up for my mailing list!
Wagering On Wendy (A MFM Ménage Romance) (Playing For Love Book 4) Page 20