The Baby Arrangement (A Winston Brother's Novel #1)

by J. L. Beck

  “I knew I loved you the moment I met you.” His voice is strong, so sure about what he’s saying, and hearing him say that he loves me makes my knees go weak. My body sways against his, and I watch as his eyes widen. Reed leaves one hand on my cheek but wraps the other around my waist to keep me upright, my soft curves against his muscles.

  We match up perfectly, like we were meant to be.

  “You… you…” I can’t even bring myself to finish the sentence. I’m terrified if I do he’s going to tell me I’m wrong, that I imagined him saying the words I need to hear from him, the words I’ve been dying to hear him say since I he whispered them the night of the gala.

  He grins down at me, and I realize what looks so different about him this morning. Reed looks as though he’s at peace, no longer struggling with whatever he’s been fighting the past few weeks.

  “I love you, Fallon. Heart. Mind. Body. Soul. You belong to me. Every single piece of you is connected to me. I know I fucked things up, and I don’t really deserve a second chance, but I can’t lose you.”

  Tears fall from my eyes. My heart beat thunders in my ears, and I sag against Reed’s sturdy form. He’s saying everything I’ve been longing to hear. Can I trust it? Is he just saying all of this because he’s afraid I’ll walk away?

  I stare up at him, my eyes bouncing back and forth between his as I try to decipher which it is, and after studying him for a few minutes, I know he’s sincere. His eyes are clear and he’s calmly standing here letting me examine him. He’s not looking away or shying from my touch. He’s welcoming me in, pleading with me for more...for something deeper.

  “Will you give me another chance?” His voice cracks when he asks, and I want to shout the word yes, but he doesn’t give me the chance to say anything.

  Reed takes a step back so he can press his palm against my stomach, his eyes softening but never leaving mine. “I want a family with you, Fallon. And not because my dad was demanding it. I want it because I want you. I want us to be together forever, and if you aren’t already pregnant, I’m going to do everything in my power to knock you up as soon as humanly possible.”

  He grins, so matter-of-fact when he says all these things, like there’s no point in arguing because I’m not going to get my way. The happiness inside me can’t be contained and I fling my arms around his neck and hug him tight.

  “I love you too, Reed. So, so much.” I can feel him smile against my neck, but I’m not finished.

  Pulling back, I look up at him, unable to contain the smile spreading so wide across my face. “There’s only one problem.” His eyes turn wary, and I hurry to reassure him. “You don’t have to do everything in your power to knock me up because I’m already pregnant.”

  It wasn’t exactly how I planned to tell him, but it works, because the joy filling his features makes me feel like my heart is going to explode in my chest. This might just be the best day of my life. I got the guy and I’m having his baby. Things can’t get any better than this, can they?

  Just as the thought crosses my mind, Reed releases me, taking a step back while I look up at him in confusion. I’m watching his face so intently it doesn’t register to me that he’s lowering himself to the floor until it’s already done.

  I cover my mouth with both hands and gasp. Reed’s down on one knee in front of me, and all I can do is stare at him in disbelief and try not to pinch myself to prove that this is real.

  Even though I know it’s coming, I freeze when he pulls a small box out of his pocket and holds it up between us. His eyes are shining with unshed tears, and he has to clear his throat before he can speak. My stomach tightens nervously. I can’t believe he’s doing this.

  “Fallon Marie Leary, you’ve been my best friend as long as I can remember. You’ve always been there for me, never judging me, never giving up on me. You loved me even before I realized what it meant to love someone.”

  Wetness stains my cheeks as the box flips open to reveal a beautiful platinum engagement ring. The slim band is covered in tiny diamonds and sapphires, and it has a much larger round diamond sitting on top. The ring is familiar, and it takes me a second to figure out it’s the same one Reed’s mother wore before she died.

  “Fallon, will you do me the honor of being my wife?” Excitement, fear and elation soar through me and I nod my head yes.

  “Yes! Yes, Reed. Of course, I’ll be your wife.” Just hours ago I was afraid I was losing him for good, and now, now he’s promising to be mine for life.

  “Thank fucking God,” he sighs in relief. As soon as he pushes the ring all the way down, he stands. I don’t even get to admire the ring that’s now made its home on my finger before he wraps his arms around me and seals his mouth to mine. The kiss is unlike any other we’ve had. Instead of trying to devour me, he’s gentle.

  The love he feels for me fuels the kiss, and he’s holding me like I’m the most precious thing in his life. His tongue darts out to trace my lips before he pushes against them, silently asking me to let him enter. The moment my lips part, his tongue slips inside, and he leisurely tastes me.

  “I was so stupid to think admitting my love for you would make me lose you, when not admitting it almost took you away from me.” I can’t even respond to his words, because his tongue is slipping back into my mouth, causing me to moan in pleasure.

  There’s never been a more real moment than this between us, and I know now that all of it was worth the wait, worth the pain, more than worth the pleasure.

  “I would have waited forever for you to figure it out, Reed,” I whisper against his lips when he finally pulls away, and his dark gaze pierces mine.

  “I’m glad we didn’t have to wait forever.” He plucks me up off the floor, and my body melts into his. I wrap my legs around his waist out of reflex and let him take me into the bedroom. The fears, the anger, the pain that we caused each other last night fades away and in its place love and pure adoration blooms.

  I love you.

  I play the words over and over in my mind while Reed makes sweet love to me. Every touch and caress between us is amplified. His fingers play me like an instrument, and I fall apart over and over again. His lips remain on mine, and at the end, after he’s taken me to the brink of pleasure and back, I still hear him whispering the words.

  I love you.

  Except this time they aren’t in my mind.

  He’s really saying them to me.

  I finally have everything I’ve ever wanted.

  Reed is mine. He loves me. And with the baby growing deep inside my belly, we’ve sealed the deal, we completed the baby arrangement.

  Come on, baby, you can do it. Just one more push,” I encourage Fallon as she grunts. Her skin is red, streaks of sweat dripping down her cheeks. Puffs of air escape her lips while she puts all her might into delivering our son.

  “One more time, Fallon.” The doctor reassures her. Fallon grits her teeth and a horrendous scream of pain and relief escapes her lips. It’s at that moment that I can’t contain my elation. I kiss her right on the lips as they pull our son out, wrapping him in a light blue blanket and laying him on her chest.

  I can feel tears falling from my eyes as I take in his tiny little nose and the thick strands of dark hair covering his tiny head. He looks just like his mama, but I can see parts of me in him, too. His nose is the same shape as both of my brothers, his chin squarer, like my dad’s was.

  God, I wish my father and mother were here to meet him.

  When his eyes finally pop open, they’re the deepest blue I’ve ever seen. Almost the color of the sky before it storms.

  I’m caught in a trance as I stare down at him. My heart beats wildly against my ribcage, and I already know I’ll never let this boy down. As long as I live he will never go a day without knowing how much his mother and I love him.

  “We did it, Reed.” Fallon sounds about as exhausted as she looks and I pepper her face with kisses, knowing words could never do this moment justice.

 
“No, you did it, baby. You brought our little boy into the world.” I’m still in awe of Fallon and all she means to me. In less than a year we went from being friends, to lovers, to husband and wife. Our hearts now beat in sync.

  “Our parents would’ve loved him,” she whispers, staring down at our newborn son.

  “Have you decided on a name?” One of the nurses asks, as she checks him over in Fallon’s arms. I lift my eyes from my beautiful little family.

  “We have… It’s Maverick Clark Winston. In honor of my father and hers.” I say the name with so much pride. We knew right away when my father passed a few months back that we wanted this baby to be named partially in honor of him since he brought Fallon and me together, and since Maverick’s conception was solely his fault.

  “What a beautiful name…” The nurse smiles before continuing to check Maverick and Fallon’s vitals. Minutes tick by, and eventually the entire room clears out, leaving Fallon and I alone in the small birthing room. All I can do is stare at her and my son, the way she reacts to every little noise he makes, and the smile on my face widens.

  She is already an excellent mother, and I know she always will be. Sadness creeps into my thoughts, as I wonder what Dad would think in this exact moment.

  How happy would he and my mother have been if they could see their firstborn grandchild?

  “Do you want to hold him?” Fallon asks, adjusting herself on the small bed.

  My palms are sweaty and fear fills my belly because I’ve never held a baby before, but I nod my head. “Of course, baby…” I murmur. She slides his small body into my arms, and my hands cradle his head as he squirms against my chest. He yawns real big, and a rumble of laughter goes through me.

  “I know, bud. I’m tired, too.” I take a seat on the small, uncomfortable couch and cradle him in my arms, watching as his eyes drift closed. I’ve never felt so much love for someone in my entire life.

  Fallon’s voice startles me, and I look up at her. “He’s pretty amazing, isn’t he?” She’s admiring me from across the room. Her face is make-up free, and I swear she hasn’t ever looked more beautiful than she does right now.

  “More than amazing. I can’t believe you gave me this. That we made this little guy together.” Fallon smiles, but I can tell she’s tired.

  “Your father gave us this. We might have lost him, but he gave us Maverick as a reminder of our love for each other, and of him. So long as our son lives, a piece of your father will live on as well.” Her words are so heartfelt that when I look down at my son, I know what she’s telling me is true.

  Because of my father’s crazy stipulation for me to have a child, he helped bring Fallon and me together, thus creating Maverick. It’s because of him that we know the meaning of love.

  “I love you, Fallon. I always will.” I push up from the couch and cross the room with our son in my arms. Pressing my lips against hers, I seal my words with a kiss that isn’t nearly long enough. I’ll never get over her being mine because there is nothing like having your best friend as your lover. Fallon takes Maverick out of my arms and cuddles him close. He immediately starts rooting around like he’s trying to find food, and she laughs.

  “Like father, like son,” she whispers softly.

  I laugh as well, but before I can say anything else, the door to her room opens and Ryker and Remy come barreling in. We both look over at them, and I can’t help but laugh at what I’m seeing. Ryker’s arms are both full of stuffed animals that are bigger than the baby, and Remy’s carrying so many balloons I can barely see him.

  They both ignore me completely, rushing Fallon and their nephew instead. They both kiss her cheeks and congratulate her before turning their full attention to . It’s like I don’t even exist to them, but I don’t care, not one bit. The love they already have for my son is obvious, and while they argue over which uncle will be his favorite, I look at the love of my life.

  Fallon’s staring back at me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I love you,” she mouths, the joy she feels radiating from every pore on her body.

  My life is full, complete because I have the love of the woman I’ve wanted as long as I can remember, brothers who annoy the shit out of me but are also my best friends, and now I have a son to teach all the things my father taught me.

  I know he and my mom, along with Fallon’s parents, are smiling down on us. As crazy as my life has been this year, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

  The Winston Brothers series continues with Ryker and Remy’s books. The Baby Mistake is available for preorder, just click the title.

  Want to read The Baby Mistake before release? You can grab the first three chapters here and sign up for a release alert.

  Click here to sign up for J.L. and Stacey’s newsletter and receive new release information, exclusive content and free books!

  Follow J.L. Beck and Stacey Lewis on BookBub and be the first to know about upcoming sales.

  To get alerts for new releases, follow J.L. Beck and Stacey Lewis on Amazon.

  Thank you for reading The Baby Arrangement!

  We hope you loved Reed & Fallon’s story. If you did, or even if you didn’t, we would love it you could please leave a review.

  Turn the page to find out more about Ryker and Ava's book, The Baby Mistake.

  Two things you should know about me:

  One: I don’t make mistakes

  Two: I’m never going to settle down with one woman

  I’m the fun brother, the jokester, the one who’s never serious…

  At least, not until I lose the biggest influence in my life.

  Now I’m spiraling out of control, so much so I spent the night after the funeral drowning my sorrows. First in the bottom of a bottle...then in the body of a blonde bombshell who looked at me like I could make all her carnal dreams come true.

  Spoiler alert: I did.

  I don’t remember her name or what she looked like, but now she’s consuming my every thought.

  It doesn’t help that my brother selected a brand new intern with a banging body and blonde hair that makes me think of her to be my assistant for the next six weeks.

  I spend my days trying not to bend her over my desk and make her mine…

  And my nights dreaming about the girl who got away.

  Everything changes when the secret she’s been hiding comes out…

  I made a huge mistake.

  Get the first three chapters here

  Bad for You

  Bad Series, #1

  J.L. Beck

  All I wanted was one kiss, one taste. My only problem was thinking once would be enough…

  What happens when you’ve got it bad for your Dad’s best friend, and business partner? He’s everything I want, and nothing I can have, and I’ll do whatever I can to have just one taste.

  “Have you ever had a secret, Bridget?” I whispered to Bridget, my childhood best friend. I knew her answer, because I knew all of her secrets, but that wasn’t the point, the point was what I was about to confess to her.

  She looked at me like I was an idiot and rolled her eyes before taking a long drink of her martini. “Are you playing dumb with me? You don’t remember that one time when I told you I went down on…” My eyes grew to size of saucers when I realized just what secret she was about to retell.

  “Alright, alright! I wasn’t trying to be a dick about it. I was just asking because I’m about to tell you something I’ve never told anyone, I’ve never even spoken it out loud.” I could feel my cheeks reddening at the thought of Jameson Briggs, my father’s business partner and best friend. He was nearly twenty years older than me, and one of Seattle’s biggest business tycoons, and did I mention he was my Father’s best friend?

  Bridget’s big blue eyes seemed to glow as she waited for me to start in on the secret I was holding in.

  “You remember Jameson Briggs, right?” I questioned innocently. She took another gulp of her martini, and nodded her head yes.

  “M
r. Six feet two inches of sexy, with a body made for fuc…” I cut her off that second because she was about to go into, what I called, a swearing fit.

  “Yes, that guy! Well I… Uh… I’ve been crushing on him for a few years now.” I exhaled as I continued. “And I think maybe he also has a thing for me, there’s just two, maybe three pesky problems…”

  Bridget’s lips pulled back into a big, bright smile. “OMG girl, you have the hot’s for your Dad’s best friend….” she all but squealed, drawing attention from a group of guys at the table across from us.

  “Shhh… I don’t want everyone knowing about my secret crush.” My face was growing redder with every passing second.

  “Oh shut up, and drink some liquid courage.” Bridget laughed, shoving my glass of wine directly into my face. “Plus, you think he might have a crush too.” Doubt filled my belly, because even if I did want to go a round or five with Jameson, I knew my father would never approve.

  “Still, if any of these guys know who I am or who my Father is, they’ll report back to him about our conversation or whatever part of it they hear.” I knew I was probably overreacting, but there was no way I was letting a chance with Jameson go down like all my other dates had.

  “How about this…” Bridget leaned into me. I could smell the alcohol on her breath. “You feel him out tomorrow, literally and figuratively, and find out if he gets the hint that you want to be more than just friends with him.”

  “That would be easy, if he wasn’t my Father’s business partner and best friend,” I grunted, taking another swig of my drink. I didn’t know what appealed to me more, the fact that Jameson was gorgeous, or the fact that he was completely off limits to me.

  “Come on, babe, like you’ve never thought of taking him into the bathroom and screwing the hell out of him? Your Father doesn’t have to know if it doesn’t take place in front of him…” Bridget giggled, and it hit me then. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, right?