by Lara Swann
He gives me a heated look, and smiles in a way that makes me shudder in anticipation.
“I prefer to think of all the time we’ve just gained, baby.”
Epilogue
Cassie
I sit back on the sand, leaning against Josh and smiling as he wraps his arm around me.
The sun is dipping just ahead of us, a brightness hovering just above the horizon as pink and purple flashes change the shape of the stunningly clear sky.
I take a sip of my margarita, my other hand slowly stroking against Josh’s thigh as we settle into the quiet cove to watch the sunset.
We found it on our first day of exploring, and it’s become our place ever since. Secluded away from the world, with perfect views of the sea and calm, still water for swimming. And private enough that we’ve…taken full advantage.
I tilt my head up to kiss him at that thought, brushing his lips gently and savoring the warm, masculine feel of him.
“Thank you, Josh.” I say, again. “This has been a perfect trip.”
He smiles down at me, eyes alight. “Well, I thought since your family insisted on taking us away to celebrate you graduating, I should probably do the same to give you a chance to recover.”
I laugh, thinking back to that week of drama.
Not quite as bad as our worst, but still…
“At least they like you now.” I say.
“Everyone always likes me.” He grins at me, leaning down for another kiss.
It’s infuriatingly true. He’s even managed to charm my Mom, despite how this whole thing started between us.
Then again, maybe she realized it would be terrible for the family reputation for her to be constantly feuding with my boyfriend.
My boyfriend.
It had been so strange to say that at first, but now it’s just natural. I couldn’t even imagine it another way now, and I squeeze his hand again.
“I mean, you did give them what they always wanted, right? You got me into a relationship.” I laugh about it now, but it took a long time for me to find that funny.
Turns out, having a real boyfriend has been far more effective for ending the constant struggle with my mother than a fake one was. I hated the feeling that she thought I’d finally given in to all that pressure though, at the beginning.
Maria had stepped in more than once as a peacekeeper in those arguments.
“It wasn’t all bad though, this time.” He says, and I murmur a slight agreement.
The family reunions have been getting easier and easier, actually. Having Josh there to support me, and make everything fun and easy and light,seems to have changed it all. I even - though I’m probably never going to admit it - look forward to them a little now.
The chance to see Maria and Mark, and Ellie and Lucas and baby Jessica.
“I still prefer this.” I say, linking my hand with his.
He chuckles from beside me, turning to kiss my temple.
“Oh, I’m not going to argue with that.”
I sigh happily and rest my head against him again, enjoying the warmth of the last of the sun.
“You really did well with this, Josh.” I say again. I keep saying it, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a better vacation. “Sipping cocktails, lying on the beach and watching the sunset…what could possibly be better than this?”
I feel him smile against me, and then his tone changes. “Oh, I can think of something…”
He turns to kiss me, one hand cupping my cheek and then gliding down, stroking over my neck and collar bone to caress the side of my breast, his thumb trailing over my nipple in that way he knows makes me instantly wet.
“We’ve already done that.” I say, laughing and kissing him back. “A lot.”
I have the sand in places I don’t even want to think about to prove it.
“Mm, no…” He murmurs against my lips, nibbling a little before looking back at me, eyes sparkling. “Not quite that.”
I raise an eyebrow, wondering what he’s got planned this time.
And then he’s moving, setting his cocktail aside as he shifts around in front of me, kneeling there in the sand.
I cock my head, amused, until he reaches into his pocket and then my heart speeds up, suddenly breathless.
“I didn’t bring you here to celebrate your graduation, Cassie. Or to recover from your family. I found this place because I know - and I’ve known for so long now - that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He opens the box he’s holding to show me a stunning diamond ring. The sun catches it just right, making it sparkle and shine and dance in the light, as I stare from it to him, not quite sure whether to believe him.
“And I think…it would be so much better…to be here, with you, as your fiance.” His eyes are shining, and I can see my own reflected there as I try to blink the tears away, my pulse roaring in my ears. “Will you marry me, Cassie?”
My breath catches in my throat and for a long moment I think I can’t breathe - and I can’t get the air to answer him - but then it all comes rushing back.
“Yes.” I throw my arms around him, not even giving him a chance to slip the ring onto my finger as I practically push him back into the ground, my heart in my throat.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.” I whisper, clutching him close. “Oh god, Josh…fuck, I never thought I was a romantic.”
He laughs at me, but I don’t let go, and then we kiss.
And stars flash before my eyes, and my heart feels like it’s about to explode with happiness and warmth and joy, and I can’t imagine anything better than this in the world.
His kiss consumes me, fire and passion and an urgent demand that becomes something more as our bodies move against each other, in a now-familiar rhythm.
“Oh, fuck, Josh…” I murmur, and then he doesn’t give me a chance for anything else.
His hands rip off the skimpy bikini that was barely offering any protection at all, and then I’m naked on the beach, the sand warming my back in the way it has so often on this trip. I wriggle in it, enjoying the softness, and the movement has him growling in front of me.
I grin, and laugh, and pull him to me, wrapping my legs around his hips and kissing and nipping at his mouth.
His tongue pushes into mine, stroking and teasing and taking me in a way that leaves me wanting more faster than I can believe. I don’t know how he sets me off this way, every time, even after we’ve just been doing this—
Then his mouth latches onto my tit and I can’t even think anymore. I buck up into the hardness pressing against his trunks, and my pussy is already contracting in eager anticipation. I don’t want to wait for this.
I slip my feet under the trunks, pushing them down insistently, and he laughs at me, taking the hint and helping a moment later.
I’m gasping now, glad once again for our privacy here, moaning and arching into him as he nibbles roughly at my breasts.
Oh fuck…
He’s so rough sometimes - when he can’t help himself anymore, when the desire and passion and need is too much. And I fucking love it. I love driving him to that. And I love feeling it.
“You’re mine, Cassie.” He says, strong and powerful as his mouth and hands move expertly over my body. “And you’re going to be mine now, always.”
I shudder at the words, moaning, and then I blink up at him. At the pure lust and love and happiness in his eyes.
“I’m going to take you, Cassie. Hard and fast and leaving nothing behind.”
The intensity of it has my breath coming in short gasps as I tell him to do just that - to make me his.
“Wait…Josh…”
He looks up as something suddenly occurs to me.
“The ring. I want to wear your ring. I want you to take me…as…your fiancee.”
His eyes glaze over, and he gives a quick nod as I go breathless with desire and anticipation.
He finds the box that we left lying on the sand in our sudden lust, opening it again and
showing me the gorgeous ring inside.
His ring.
He takes it out almost reverently, and his smile as he slips it onto my finger matches the way I feel inside.
Complete. Happy. Perfect.
He links his fingers with mine, and we just look at each other for a moment.
Then his smile curves into that red-hot desire again, and he pushes that hand down into the sand. I grin and smile and writhe and press against him, touching and kissing any part I can reach while he fumbles in the discarded trunks for something.
When he takes it out, and I hear the crinkle of the condom, I hesitate.
Then make my decision.
“Wait…”
He looks up at me again, amused exasperation crossing his face now.
“If you’re going to keep stopping me—”
“No, Josh.” I close my hand over the condom. “Will you…leave that?”
“What?”
He frowns at me, confused now, and I struggle to gather the courage to say what I really want to.
The one downside of this trip - we’ve been using those all week. I came off the pill after having stress-induced side-effects during my exams and since then…we’ve been using condoms.
And everytime, I’ve wondered…
“Don’t use it?” I breathe.
“Cassie…” He looks at me, eyes widening as he finally realizes what I’m saying.
I grip his hand tighter, love and need and desire flushing through me.
“Put a baby in me, Josh.” I whisper.
His breath catches, and I watch the play of emotions over his face.
He wants this. I know he does. I’ve seen him with kids. Imagined him as a Dad. And…I want it.
“But…” He starts. “You just…what about…you just graduated, Cassie. You’re about…to get everything you always wanted.”
I smile at him, and it comes from so far inside me I can’t even sense how deep it goes.
I run my thumb over the ring, and nod.
“Yes. I’m about to get everything I’ve always wanted.” I lean forward and kiss him, my arms around his neck. “Give it to me, Josh? We’ll make it work - you’ve shown me that. I’ll have both. Everything. You. A baby. My career.”
He shudders against me, and then nods, clutching me to him harder than I think I’ve ever felt.
When I meet his eyes again, I can see wetness at the edges, and it melts me even more.
Then he kisses me, and that burns away anything else.
We come together like that - aching and passionate and desperate and so completely in love that I never thought it was possible.
And he gives me everything I asked for.
THE END
This copy of The Boyfriend Arrangement also includes a bonus copy of Hard – keep reading to enjoy it!
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BONUS BOOK: HARD
A Military Stepbrother Romance
Prologue
Bella
I heard the click and pushed the hotel door open in one quick movement, refusing to give the butterflies dancing in my stomach any chance to make me hesitate.
I want this. I’ve wanted it for months.
That didn’t change the way my eyes darted around when I finally drew up inside. The dimmed lights of the spacious room let me skip over the rich furnishings quickly - taking in the sophisticated, traditional decor and forgetting it a moment later.
At least until I saw the bed. That large, four-poster monstrosity immediately brought to mind what I was doing here tonight, and my eyes flitted away and back within a few seconds, alive with the same anticipation and hesitancy that had plagued me all night. My heart rate jumped as I took it in, and I tried unsuccessfully to tell myself that I wasn’t nervous.
A low chuckle interrupted my thoughts, drawing me to a sight that always banished my doubts and hesitations.
“So, you actually showed up.”
Seth leaned easily against one of the pillars of that extravagant, over-the-top bed. His half-naked form gleamed in the low light, shadows highlighting rock hard abs and a body more powerfully sexy than any eighteen year old had a right to be.
He shifted slightly and his muscles flexed under my gaze, inviting my eyes to run down to the light spattering of hair that arrowed temptingly under his jeans.
Smart jeans - a nice dark gray with an impressive lack of rips or tears. For Seth, that counted as dressing up. The corner of my mouth turned up as I pictured the Principal’s face earlier that evening when he’d shown up in jeans and a shirt to our black-tie graduation ball - I was sure he’d be refused entry for the outrage, but only an hour later he was sauntering across the dance floor, the attention of every girl there regardless of what he chose to wear.
Somehow, Seth had always been able to get away with anything.
His hot gaze sent lust shuddering through my body and gave me confidence in my own sensuality as the heat of his expression seared me.
It was easy to rise to his challenge with a quick quirk of an eyebrow, the role feeling familiar and natural as I ran my eyes obviously up and down his hard, taut body, letting one hand settle on my hip.
“I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about.”
His eyes smoldered as they looked at me, every line of his body dangerous - and unbelievably sexy. He shifted closer with a predator’s grace and I found my breath caught as it always did, pulse beating hard in my ears.
Instinctively, I wanted to rush to him, let my hands touch the firm heat of his muscular chest while his arms encircled me - but I couldn’t move.
Lust was already building within me, everything we’d ever done rising through each movement and gesture now and promising so much more. I stood, caught helplessly, as he approached.
That slow, sexy smile as his eyes read everything in my expression lit my panties on fire, making me fight not to moan aloud as his hand cupped my chin, a gentle finger caressing my cheek while he tilted my head to hover moments from his lips.
His body held apart, he took me with just that one contact holding us together - a sweet, sensual kiss warming my eager lips, keeping it slow and steady as I longed for more, ached for more.
Oh god…
I was already gone. I tried to take it further, to push hard against his mouth, but that one hand and devilish body controlled me utterly, forcing the slow pace as he kept me in that chaste kiss for an age.
By the time his soft lips opened to let his tongue dance with mine, I was lost in the one simple, powerful sensation he was giving me, everything hinging on that sweet penetration, on that almost-innocent joining of our bodies while my pulse started beating with need in my center.
Just as I was sure I was going to have to throw him down on the bed myself, he withdrew, looking back at me with eyes that sparkled with amusement on top of our shared lust.
“Well?”
This time I did moan, not even trying to pretend my customary display of aloofness.
“God…dammit…”
I pressed against him, my hands exploring his strong muscles unreservedly while I let my lips graze his neck, tongue darting out to taste his flesh as his hands came around to grip my ass hard, rubbing my soft body against the thick wall of his - the sweetness he showed only to tease turning instantly to a burning need that I knew would take me over completely.
I smiled against the skin of his neck, shooting him a glance as my hands hovered around his hips, taking a deep reassurance in how solid he was.
“I liked you in that shirt, you know.”
He chuckled again, the roughness of it stirring my blood as his lips brushed across my temple.
“Too bad, baby.”
&nbs
p; Yeah, he wasn’t going to be caught wearing that again - not even for me.
A girl could hope…
He drew back and ran his hands down my smooth satin dress, chasing the fabric as it tucked in close to my body. The floor length gown was a regal purple, darker lace covering the tops of my breasts until it met the silken material, the long dress following my curves until mid-waist when it dropped sensuously to the ground, layers of amethyst that shifted as I walked to give a glimpse of the darker layer underneath.
It flattered me in all the right places, and I’d never felt as sexy as I did that night - my graduation…and, if I kept my nerve up, another milestone I was longing to pass.
“I’ve been picturing stripping this dress off you all night.”
His dark promise thrilled me, but I found myself latching onto that spark of amusement between us - a light touch that provided some relief to the intensity that threatened to overwhelm me.
“But I spent so long picking it out…”
One strong brow rose over those deep gray eyes and his mouth teased mine again while he watched me.
“Oh? Surely the most important factor when picking out a dress is how quickly it will make others want to get it off you.”
I scowled up in mock outrage, pushing one hand ineffectually against his muscled chest as I drew myself up.
“Maybe among the people you know, jackass, but I can assure you I’m not that type of girl.”
The quick banter slipped out easily, a bigger part of our relationship than the red-hot desire - the top-of-the-class ‘good’ girl and the notorious bad boy who couldn’t stand each other. When he’d shown up at our school at the beginning of the year, I’d made it obvious how disgusted I was with how quickly everyone had seemed to fall over themselves for a few cocky, arrogant muscles. But for some reason, that disdain had only drawn his attention.
I’d put it down to the perverse desire for something he couldn’t have, and shot down every mocking jibe he sent my way. Until our initial dislike slowly grew into a reluctant respect for the others’ quick-witted responses, the competition heating until we somehow moved beyond that simple understanding of our enmity.