by Sarah Peis
“I love it,” I said, beaming at him.
“Good,” he responded and walked to where Mason was inspecting the balcony railing, pointing at a few things.
“He didn’t bring his tools, did he?” I asked Stella.
“I wouldn’t let him. We’d never make it back home before it gets dark. And Porcahontas doesn’t like the dark and freaks out.”
“Who’s Porcahontas?”
“The pig who’s currently waiting in your yard for us to come back out. Or more specifically Mason, since he’s like the animal whisperer. She belongs to Brielle, my friend Kinsley’s sister, but she’s getting too big for their yard, so we’re looking after her.”
“Okay, I’ll take it. But what’s with the rooster?”
Neither one of the animals had been there last time I visited. I wondered how many they were up to by now.
“That’s Cluck Norris. We saved him three weeks ago, and he hasn’t left our side since. Thinks he’s a dog.”
We stayed for another thirty minutes, the guys inspecting every inch of the house while Stella and I hung out with the animals. Porcahontas tried pushing me over whenever I stopped petting her, so I was stuck until the guys came back out. But she was a gorgeous—if huge—pig, so I didn’t mind.
When we went back to the office, my heart was full and my head filled with decorating ideas. Maybe the kids could finally get a dog.
I had to thank Jim if I ever saw him again since his screwup led me to everything I now had.
Epilogue
“Pee, pee,” Lena sang, dancing into the kitchen.
She was wearing a pink dress but seemed to have lost the tights she’d been wearing not ten minutes ago.
“Do you want to go to the potty?” I asked, eyeing her. She’d started showing interest in going to the potty, and I tried to encourage her.
“I did,” she replied.
Oh no. Please don’t let there be another mystery pee somewhere in the house. “Where did you go?” I asked and held out my hand for her to lead me to this supposed pee she’d done. “Show me, gorgeous.”
We made our way past the moving boxes that were piled up everywhere and to the kids’ bedroom. Lena pointed at a suitcase I’d packed that morning.
I walked around the room, looking inside the suitcase, then studying the floor and sniffing the air. No wet spots and no smell was a good sign. But it also meant I had to search the house for a potential accident.
“Come on, let’s go on an expedition,” I said and led the way out of the room.
I was on my knees, looking under the coffee table, when Sebastian and Luca walked in. They’d been at the farmhouse, dropping off a load of boxes. Luca had become Sebastian’s shadow over the last three months, accepting him like he’d always been there.
And yes, that’s how long it took for me to agree to move in with him. I figured since we hadn’t been apart for even one night in all that time, we basically lived together already. The kids loved the farmhouse and Sebastian, so we might as well make it official.
“Well, now that’s a view I don’t mind coming back to,” Sebastian growled, and I shot up, hitting my head.
“Ouch,” I cried and backed out from under the table.
“Are you okay, baby?” Sebastian asked, helping me up. He studied my head and felt for a lump. When he was satisfied I would live, he whispered a kiss over my lips and released me.
“I’m fine,” I said and then looked at my son. “Did you like the color for your bedroom?”
We’d been painting the rooms and letting the kids pick out their colors. Luca had been unsure of what color he wanted, but in the end he settled on blue.
He nodded, his eyes shining. “It’s blue, like water. Seb said we can put sharks on the wall too.”
Something else he’d discovered over the last few months were sharks. He devoured every morsel of information he could find on them.
“Great choice,” I said, smiling at him.
Sebastian put his arms around me and pulled me into his side. “What were you doing under the coffee table?”
I sighed. “I’m 89.65 percent certain Lena peed somewhere in the house. But I haven’t been able to find it yet.”
He chuckled. “Want me to help you look?”
I put a hand to my chest and looked up at him. “My hero.”
The kids were running around the living room, Luca chasing Lena, pretending to be the Grinch.
We left them to it and continued the search for the mystery pee. Maybe she didn’t do one after all. The house wasn’t big; it shouldn’t be this hard to find it. I inspected the kitchen floor again, but besides dust mites and food scraps, there wasn’t much to see.
A loud crash and then a groan came from the back door, making me pause in my search. I turned on my heels and speed-walked down the hallway, the kids right behind me.
Sebastian was lying on the ground, moaning. “I found it.”
I suppressed the giggle wanting to escape. After all, he hurt himself slipping on my daughter’s pee.
“I’m sorry,” I said, my voice laced with amusement.
He got up, turning from side to side to assess the damage. “You may laugh now, but you’ll be the one waiting on me when I can’t get up off the couch because I hurt myself.”
He had a point. “And I’ll be happy to fulfill your every wish,” I said.
“Maybe we should put that to the test tonight,” he said, his eyes blazing with heat.
My whole body flushed, and I chastised myself for my inappropriate reaction. After all, there were kids present.
“Happy to,” I said, my voice breathy.
He strolled past me, not looking like he’d hurt himself at all.
Sebastian took a shower while I cleaned the floor. My phone binged a few times, but I was on a mission and mopped the whole house while I had the water out.
I made the kids a snack and pulled myself up onto the counter, checking my messages. I had four unread texts and two missed calls.
I took a sip of water that I nearly spat out again when an image popped up on my screen.
It was Malena, doing a perfectly executed upside-down split on the pole. No idea what the move was called, but it was hot. She was hot. And barely wearing any clothes.
Elle had sent the image first and then a text message.
Elle: Your girl is killing it. Shame we can’t talk her into working for us a few nights a week.
The other two messages were from Malena.
Malena: We missed you at pole dance last night.
Malena: Delete the photo Elle sent you or I’ll get out the one of you on the mechanical bull.
I chuckled and replied to her, thinking me not going to a few of the lessons was better for everyone’s health. Elle had started teaching pole dancing at the club during the day when it was closed to customers. It was a popular class, and she even had a waiting list.
Me: I feel no shame over that night. Do your worst.
Sebastian came back in, his hair wet, his white T-shirt clinging to his body. I licked my lips at the sight like Pavlov’s dog when he heard a bell and thought he was getting food. Or in my case, a hot biker.
“Talon just messaged. They’ll be here soon,” he said, fitting himself between my legs.
We’d both taken the week off for the move, and the guys were coming over to help with the heavy stuff. We’d rented a truck and were just waiting for them to arrive.
“Perfect. You think you’ll get it all in one load?”
Sebastian trailed his hands up my leg, resting them on my hips. “Not sure if we can fit all your nail polish in. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many shades of the same colors.”
I slapped his chest playfully and grinned. “I like nail polish.”
“I noticed,” he said and kissed my cheek.
The front door smashed open and heavy footsteps pounded on the floor. “We’re here,” Talon bellowed. “Where’s my princess?”
The pitter-patter of
small feet rang through the house, and then a loud shriek sounded. Lena loved Sebastian, but Talon held a special place in her heart, and nobody existed but him whenever he was around.
“There she is,” Talon called out and came into the kitchen a few seconds later, holding Lena.
Grim, Gears, and Blade followed, crowding the small space.
“Hey, honey,” Grim greeted me. “Where do you want us?”
Gears and Blade called out greetings as well, and Sebastian showed them where everything was. Stella and Mason would meet us at the house to help unload. They were planning on being here this morning to take the kids, but the three baby goats they’d taken in a few days ago escaped.
Stella had only just called me before the pee incident to let me know they’d found them. I didn’t want to add to her already stressful day and talked her into just meeting us at the farmhouse. Willa and Jameson would be there as well to give us a hand.
For the next few hours, the guys emptied out the house. It was a bittersweet moment since I had a lot of great memories there, but the thought of officially moving in with Sebastian made me ecstatic.
When the last box had left the house, I stood in my empty bedroom, looking around what used to be my home.
Sebastian joined me, pulling my back to his front. “You ready?”
I turned in his embrace and beamed at him. “Let’s do it.”
I walked out holding Sebastian’s hand, a huge smile on my face.
THE END
This series continues with Malena’s story, coming out in November 2021. Don’t miss the release and sign up for my newsletter to find out when it will be available.
Sarah Peis booklist
Sweet Dreams Series
Some Call It Love (#1)
Some Call It Temptation (#2)
Some Call It Fate (#3)
Some Call It Devotion (#4)
Worship (A Sweet Dreams novella)
Kismet (A Sweet Dreams novella, exclusive to newsletter subscribers)
Standalones
Happily Never Forever
Where you can find me
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Read on for an excerpt of the first book in the Sweet Dreams series, currently FREE on all retailers
Excerpt of Some Call it Love
By Sarah Peis
© 2018 Sarah Peis
Prologue
“You’re under arrest. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say …. Gun! Gun!”
What started out as a terrible day just got a whole lot worse. Who would have thought that I’d find myself squashed to the asphalt by an overweight, sweaty police officer who thought I was hiding a gun in the pocket of my pants? The same guy who used to copy my history notes all through high school now acted like I was a dangerous criminal, when he very well knew that I have never even so much as stolen a pen in my life.
“Ray, it’s not a gun. It’s—” I stopped myself midsentence. Maybe it was better if he did think I had a gun. If he found out what was actually in my pocket, my humiliation would be complete. I knew waking up in a bed that wasn’t my own this morning was bad luck. It threw my zen off and look what happened. I was getting arrested for something that was entirely not my fault. Well, almost entirely. My bike didn’t smash into him by itself, but it was extenuating circumstances and my actions were entirely justified. I was getting arrested for a simple misunderstanding.
Of course, Officer Ray, as he insisted I call his judgmental ass, reached into my pocket to investigate and pulled out a bright pink dildo. It was new, too. My best friend, Maisie, got it for my last birthday. Since I hadn’t retired good ole Bob, I hadn’t even used this one yet.
“Everyone stand down. No gun, just a vibrator,” the bastard called out to his colleagues who stared, then laughed louder than necessary. To make my humiliation complete, said bastard started waving the vibrator above his head. “If you were that desperate, you could have just called me.”
Did I mention that Ray was also a sleazy slimeball? He stood me back up, my hands now cuffed behind my back and his hands on my butt. By tomorrow everyone and their mother would know about this. He was a gossip queen, and his followers were vast and quick to spread the news. In other words, I was screwed. I could never show my face at the QuickMart down the road again. I should start mourning the loss of the slushies I used to get there.
Make one bad decision, and your reputation is ruined. Okay, maybe a few bad decisions. But everyone’s been there. Nobody’s perfect, right? Things happen. You move on.
But I should probably start where it all began. When the life I more or less loved came crashing down around me and I found myself face-to-face with my destiny—my very hot and very lickable destiny. Jameson Drake. I should have known to run the second he set his sights on me. After all, he was named after a drink that gave me terrible hangovers.
It should also be noted here that I would never lick any part of Jameson ever again. Only if he asked me to. Maybe begged me a little. Without a shirt on.
***
Chapter 1
The first time I made eye contact with Jameson was from across a crowded club. My eyes went wide, and my jaw dropped as soon as I looked into his mesmerizing orbs of perfection. The details are a bit hazy because my brain refused to function other than to tell my eyes to open and close in rapid succession. Since I wasn’t drinking and didn’t approach strangers—stranger danger, right?—I forced myself to look away and get on with my life. Magical moment over, or so I thought.
“Willa? Are you still with us?” Maisie said while she waved her hand in front of my face. “I think she’s gone into a sugar coma.” She turned to the other part of our trio, Stella. “I told her not to drink Coke. She can’t handle all that caffeine and sugar. It’s the combination of death.”
I blinked a few times and studied my shoes. Or more accurately, my kick-ass stilettos that cost me three months of extra shifts at the Donut Hole. But they were worth every cent. The dress I wore was short, shorter than I was used to, and tight, tighter than I would ever wear. It was also blue. But somehow, my two best friends had talked me into letting my hair down for one night, and apparently that meant dressing like a hooker—except for the shoes, because they were all class.
I rolled my eyes at Maisie and flicked her ear. “Stop talking about me like I’m not here. And I can handle my sugar and caffeine just fine.”
They both laughed at me and ordered another drink. We all knew that I definitely was not able to handle sugar or caffeine. The effects were varied and unpredictable. I resentfully pushed the glass of water that Maisie had gotten me out of the way.
“Did you hand in your sociology report yet?” Stella asked. We all went to Winchester University. Maisie and I had been inseparable ever since bonding over our shared love of chocolate milk in first grade. Stella, Maisie’s roommate, moved to Humptulips to go to the university since she lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere.
I stayed around because I couldn’t leave my dad unless I was willing to risk him living in a jail cell for the rest of his life. And that was the best-case scenario. Let’s just say Garret Montgomery did whatever Garret Montgomery wanted to do, even if it included stealing a cop car to get smokes from the gas station down the road.
Maisie used to be engaged to Ray, a local cop who absolutely saw no reason to leave his cushy job behind and move to another city. The crime rate in Humptulips was made up of 80 percent jaywalking and 20 percent whatever shit my dad came up with. So she stayed, went to school, and got ready for her life as a devoted housewife once she graduated. That was until she saw her darling husband-to-be getting too friendly with one of the Bennet twins. She packed her bags faster than you can say pineapple upside-down cake and moved in with Stella.
Stella was t
he balance to our crazy, the only person who could talk us off the ledge. And, yes, there might have been an actual ledge involved at one time.
I shook my head at Stella’s question about the report, but Maisie nodded. “That would be a yes for me and a no for Willa.” I knew she would have finished the report a week before it was due.
I pouted at her statement even though that’s what my usual MO was when it came to homework. Why do it today when you can procrastinate and write it the day it’s due?
“At least I started my research. Writing about the evolution of Thor as part of Norse mythology is harder than I thought. I was a bit hasty making my decision based on the movie and Chris Hemsworth’s abs. Most of the literature is written in Old Norse, and I have to find translations. It’s taking forever.”
I groaned at the thought of the paper I had to write in less than a week. This one was definitely not last-minute kind of work, and I had to keep up my grades to stay eligible for my scholarship. I had done surprisingly well so far, but this class was turning me into a fruit loop. Apparently everyone had to take classes outside of their chosen major, but I was stupid enough to choose something that required hours of research.
“Holy smokes, do you see that guy?” Stella asked, attempting to nod her head inconspicuously but failing miserably. Maisie took a sip of her drink, following Stella’s line of sight and promptly choked on it. “Is that Jameson?”
Maisie narrowed her eyes and nodded. “Definitely Jameson. Don’t get too close or you might get pregnant.” I should also mention that Maisie was a judgmental bitch at times. This was one of those times. “Remember Hannah?”
Of course I remembered Hannah. She tried to be the one to tie down Jameson by proclaiming to everyone and their mother that she was pregnant with his baby. Of course, she wasn’t, because if we knew anything about Jameson it was that he was careful when it came to protecting his independence, and a baby was the last thing he wanted.
The truth came out eventually but not before she’d already done a lot of damage.