Neighbors with the Single Dad (The Single Dads of Seattle Book 8)

by Whitley Cox

  He shook his head, then dropped to one knee.

  Her hands covered her mouth at the same time she gasped.

  How had she not felt the enormous box at the front of his pants? It’d been driving him nuts all damn day.

  “What’s your dad doing?” Lucas asked, pausing his frog spell.

  “No idea,” Freddie replied.

  All three boys joined them where they stood in Scott’s driveway. Which was perfect, because he wanted to do this when the kids were around. They were blending their families, after all, and the kids should be a part of it—even the proposal.

  “Eva Danielle Marchand,” he started.

  “Is Mom in trouble?” Kellen whispered to Lucas. “Why’s he saying her full name? Mom only says our full names when we’re in trouble.”

  “Shhh,” Lucas scolded.

  Eva hiccuped a laugh as she smiled through the now streaming tears.

  “Eva,” Scott started again. “You are the best neighbor I could have ever asked for. Undoubtably the love of my life, and I would love nothing more than to be your husband and give you the happy, incredible life you so greatly deserve. Will you marry me?”

  “Ohhhh,” Freddie said with a nod. “Dad’s asking your mom to marry him.”

  Lucas’s eyes went wide. “Does that mean we’ll get to be brothers?”

  Both Freddie and Kellen each gave a cheer of approval, then all three boys began to chant, “Brothers! Brothers! Brothers!”

  Chuckling, Scott focused back on the stunning redhead in front of him. “Well, what do you say? Do the ayes have it?”

  She nodded like a broke-neck chicken, tears now racing down her cheeks. “The ayes have it.” She was smiles now. All beautiful, bright white smiles. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ll marry you until the cows come home, and then I’ll stay married to you even after that.”

  “That was really corny,” he teased.

  “Yeah, but you loved it anyway.”

  “I absolutely did. Finally, I get to be Mr. Green Yoga Pants. It really is all I’ve ever wanted.”

  She snorted and shook her head, smiling. She helped him to his feet, and his lips immediately captured hers in a kiss that spoke of years and decades of happiness to come.

  “Why were they talking about cows?” Freddie asked. “Are we getting cows?”

  “The yard doesn’t seem big enough for cows,” Kellen said. “Are we moving to a farm with cows?”

  “Can we get chickens and pigs, too, if we’re moving to a farm?” Freddie asked.

  “We’ll have to make a brothers blood pact,” Lucas said, changing the subject.

  This, unfortunately, caused Eva and Scott to break the seal of their lips and round on their boys.

  “There will be no blood pact,” Eva said sternly.

  “What’s a blood pact?” Freddie asked.

  Lucas spoke out the side of his mouth. “I’ll explain later in our tree fort.”

  Freddie and Kellen nodded solemnly, but the way their eyes slid sideways to each other said they had over a dozen schemes up their collective sleeves, and none of them were wise.

  “Let’s go!” Lucas declared, leading the charge back around the house to where their new tree fort stood high in the backyard.

  Kellen and Freddie took off after him, their legs moving faster than the Road Runner’s when he was escaping Wile E. Coyote.

  They were alone once again.

  “Do you want a big wedding?” he asked, his hands drawn to her waist.

  She shook her head. “Something small and intimate. With our boys, family, a few friends. Just those who really matter.”

  “Sounds perfect to me.” He pressed his lips against hers. “We can celebrate properly tonight if you like. Break in our new king-size bed.”

  She hummed against his lips. “I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate. Except maybe … ” Letting one hand drop from around his neck, she dug into the fancy pocket on the side of her yoga pants. “Here.” She pressed a piece of paper into his chest.

  Reluctantly, he released her, opened up the folded paper and read it. His heart rate sped up as his eyes scanned the page. He withdrew his gaze from the paper. She was smiling that smile he’d never get tired of waking up to.

  “I owed you,” she said. “I found out Allison DeWitt will be in San Diego next month for a signing, so I bought us plane tickets, booked the hotel and have bought tickets to the signing. We are going to meet and greet and take fanboy—and girl—pictures with Allison DeWitt.”

  Scott grabbed her by the waist and lifted her into the air, spinning her around as he cheered and hollered his excitement.

  “Engaged and Allison DeWitt!” He shook his head in disbelief as he set her down on the pavement. “You are incredible.”

  He kissed her hard on the lips, his hands cupping her face, the piece of paper still in his grasp. When they broke the kiss, they were both panting.

  “I can’t believe you did this,” he said, still shaking his head.

  “I did it the day we found out about Todd,” she said. “Knowing that he can’t ever hurt any of us ever again has been a huge weight off my shoulders. Off all of our shoulders, and I figured we needed to celebrate.”

  “He had it coming to him,” Scott said, determined to keep the arrogance from his tone. That motherfucker deserved to die in prison, and he had. Shanked in his cell, then thrown in solitary to keep him safe from his assailant, where he developed sepsis and died shortly afterward in the prison infirmary.

  A pretty anticlimactic way to go, really. But beggars can’t be choosers, and the fact of the matter was, he was gone.

  For good.

  The boys never asked about him, never wanted to go see him in prison. They even asked Scott if they could call him Dad. And now that he and Eva were engaged and living together, it was only a matter of time until he asked if he could adopt them.

  “I can’t wait to start this new chapter with you,” she said, fresh tears forming in her eyes. “The boys are getting a father they deserve, and I am getting the husband I never thought I’d ever be lucky enough to have.”

  “And I’m getting a wife who considers me and doesn’t take me for granted, and two incredible sons.”

  “We’re going to have it all.”

  “And there isn’t anybody I’d rather have it all with than you.” Then he scooped her up and carried her inside their home, where they made lunch for their sons and started their new life as a family of five.

  Flirting with the Single Dad - Sneak Peek

  Single Dads of Seattle Book 9

  Chapter 1

  Thump!

  “What the fuck?”

  Atlas Stark rubbed his forehead and then his hip as he opened his eyes and found himself laying on his daughter’s bedroom floor.

  He must have fallen asleep again in Aria’s tiny twin bed reading her a bedtime story. He’d been doing that a lot lately. Usually woke up with a horrible crick in his neck, one of his hands asleep and more exhausted than when he nodded off.

  He wasn’t a young man anymore either. He needed the comfort of his own bed, and his therapeutic cool gel pillow. But Aria—like most nights—had complained when he tucked her in, so he gave in to her demands, crawled in next to her and read her the twelfth book of the night. He wasn’t sure who fell asleep first.

  Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stood up to his full height, his back cracking, and knees grinding as he hinged over to kiss his daughter on the cheek.

  Fuck, he hoped he hadn’t slept the entire night away in her room—wouldn’t be the first time. If luck was finally on his side, it’d be like ten or eleven and he could still pass out in his own bed. That was if Cecily down the hall didn’t freak the fuck out and require him to hold her while she chugged back a bottle for an hour.

  Yawning, he reached for his phone off the dresser. Oh thank God, it was only ten thirty. He brought up his messages as he wandered out of Aria’s room, making sure to leave it open just a crack, oth
erwise his three and a half-year-old would give him shit in the morning.

  There were only a handful of messages—most of them work related—and they could wait until tomorrow. But there was one that had been sent two minutes ago from a number he didn’t recognize.

  He scratched the back of his neck, wandered into the kitchen and poured himself two fingers of bourbon, a nightly ritual. The bottle nearly slipped through his fingers as he read the slew of messages from this strange number.

  Did you know that Carlyle was engaged? Well, you do now. And if you DID know that he was engaged, shame on you for sleeping with an attached man.

  Please tell Carlyle when you see him that he can find his belongings on the front lawn of MY apartment, though he might want to get there soon as the weather report is calling for thunder showers.

  I’m keeping the ring. That motherfucker took five years of my life.

  The text messages began rather polite, almost rational, and slowly meandered into more and more profanity, Capslock and exclamation marks.

  And another thing! WHO THE FUCK NAMES THEIR KID CARLYLE? You can have him! WHO GOES BY CARLYLE and not CARL?! Pretentious fuckers, that’s who!

  Carlyle isn’t returning my calls or messages. I’m assuming he’s with you, so please relay these messages to my low-life fucking EX-fiance.

  I want my dog back! Who the hell steals a dog? Forest is MY DOG! I had him before Carlyle and I even got together. I want him back or I WILL get a lawyer and sue his fucking ass.

  The apartment is in MY NAME! So if he tries to get in, I’ll call the cops! The two of you can go FUCK YOURSELVES. Have a nice life!

  At this point Atlas was wide awake now, sitting on his black leather couch and sipping his bourbon.

  Did you text back a wrong number? Particularly one this enraged?

  But the person on the other end deserved to know that their message was not received by the intended recipient, right?

  Did he want to engage with this person? They sounded kind of psycho.

  But whoever they were, they deserved their dog back, didn’t they? A dog was a family member, who the fuck kidnapped a family member?

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, he finished his bourbon then tapped out a quick message to the furious texter.

  You have the wrong number. I’m a man.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and allowed the silence of the evening to wrap around him. He himself was a quiet person, preferring to have the television down low, the same for the music in the car. He liked things quiet. Or at least he used to.

  It had been over a year and half since his wife, his best friend, the other half of his beating heart had died creating not only a void in his heart, but deafening silence in his home. Now, he hated the quiet.

  If You’ve Enjoyed This Book

  If you’ve enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. It really does make a difference.

  Thank you again.

  Xoxo

  Whitley Cox

  Acknowledgments

  There are so many people to thank who help along the way. Publishing a book is definitely not a solo mission, that’s for sure. First and foremost, my friend and editor Chris Kridler, you are a blessing, a gem and an all-around terrific person. Thank you for your honesty and hard work.

  Thank you, to my critique groups gals, Danielle and Jillian. I love our meetups where we give honest feedback and just bitch about life. You two are my bitch-sisters and I wouldn’t give you up for anything.

  Andi Babcock for her beta-read, I always appreciate your attention to detail and comments.

  Author Jeanne St. James, my alpha reader and sister from another mister, what would I do without you?

  Megan J. Parker-Squiers from EmCat Designs, your covers are awesome. Thank you.

  Ana Rita Clemente, one of the first “fans” I’ve ever met, and now an amazing friend. Thank you for loving my books and beta-reading this one. You are a wonderful human.

  My street team, Whitley Cox’s Curiously Kinky Reviewers, you are all awesome and I feel so blessed to have found such wonderful fans.

  The ladies of Vancouver Island Romance Authors, your support and insight have been incredibly helpful, and I’m so honored to be a part of a group of such talented writers.

  Author Cora Seton for your help, tweaks and suggestions for my blurbs, as always, they come back from you so sparkly. I also love our walks, talks and heart-to-hearts, they mean so much to me.

  Authors Kathleen Lawless, Nancy Warren and Jane Wallace, I love our writing meetups. Wine, good food and friendship always make the words flow.

  Author Ember Leigh, my newest author bestie, I love our bitchfests—they keep me sane.

  My parents, in-laws and brother, thank you for your unwavering support.

  The Small Human and the Tiny Human, you are the beats and beasts of my heart, the reason I breathe and the reason I drink. I love you both to infinity and beyond.

  And lastly, of course, the husband. You are my forever. I love you.

  Also by Whitley Cox

  Love, Passion and Power: Part 1

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Series Book 1

  Love, Passion and Power: Part 2

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Series Book 2

  Sex, Heat and Hunger: Part 1

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Book 3

  Sex, Heat and Hunger: Part 2

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Book 4

  Hot and Filthy: The Honeymoon

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Book 4.5

  True, Deep and Forever: Part 1

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Book 5

  True, Deep and Forever: Part 2

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Book 6

  Hard, Fast and Madly: Part 1

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Series Book 7

  Hard, Fast and Madly: Part 2

  The Dark and Damaged Hearts Series Book 8

  Quick & Dirty

  Book 1, A Quick Billionaires Novel

  Quick & Easy

  Book 2, A Quick Billionaires Novella

  Quick & Reckless

  Book 3, A Quick Billionaires Novel

  Hot Dad

  Lust Abroad

  Snowed In & Set Up

  Quick & Dangerous

  Book 4, A Quick Billionaires Novel

  Hired by the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 1

  Dancing with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 2

  Saved by the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 3

  Living with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 4

  Christmas with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 5

  New Years with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 6

  Valentine’s with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 7

  Neighbours with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 8

  Upcoming

  Flirting with the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 9

  Falling for the Single Dad

  The Single Dads of Seattle, Book 10

  Lost Hart

  The Harty Boys Book 2

  About the Author

  A Canadian West Coast baby born and raised, Whitley is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they have two beautiful daughters and a fluffy dog. She spends her days making food that gets thrown on the floor, vacuuming Cheerios out from under the couch and making sure that the dog food doesn't end up in the air conditioner. But when nap time comes, and it's not quite wine o'clock, Whitley sits down, avoids the pile of laundry on the couch, and writes.

  A lover of all things decadent; wine, cheese, chocolate and spicy erotic romance, Whitley brings the humorous side of sex, the ridiculous side of relationships and the suspense of everyday life into her stories. With mommy wars, body issues, threesome
s, bondage and role playing, these books have everything we need to satisfy the curious kink in all of us.

  You can also find me here

  Website: WhitleyCox.com

  Twitter: @WhitleyCoxBooks

  Instagram: @CoxWhitley

  Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/CoxWhitley/

  Blog: https://whitleycox.blogspot.ca/

  Multi-Author Blog: https://romancewritersbehavingbadly.blogspot.com

  Exclusive Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/234716323653592/

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