He nods and points to a squirrel at the bottom of our tree. “You think he’ll come up here?”
“No,” I say and point to a hole in the bottom. “I think he’ll go into that hole. I bet that’s his home.”
We sit and watch the little animal scurry around for a while then he slips into that hole and Carter seems amazed. “How did you know that?”
“When you spend a lot of time in the woods, you learn things. So how was school today?” I ask him as we settle back and look up into the tree above us. The sun’s light is filtered through the already sparse leaves as fall is setting in well and most of the leaves have fallen off the branches.
“It was okay,” he says then he bumps his shoulder to mine. “I think this girl likes me. Her name is Trudy and she’s kind of pretty. She’s missing one of her front teeth right now but I can see past that and see that she’s pretty.”
“Well, that’s good. But the main thing is this,” I tell him. “Is she nice?”
“Well, she had an apple in her lunch today and she asked me if I wanted it cause she hates them now on account of it was one of them she bit into and that’s how her tooth came out. So I think that was a nice thing for her to do,” he says then points at a cardinal as it flies into the tree and lands on a branch not too far from us.
“You should get out your camera,” I tell him.
As he takes his backpack off and digs through it to find the elusive camera, the bird flies away with the noise. But he finally finds it and takes it out. “I’m ready now.”
With a nod, I look around and so does he. A little baby deer comes out of the brush and I touch his shoulder to get him to look that way. He pulls the camera up and takes the picture then shows it to me as he whispers, “I got it!”
“You did!” I whisper back and pat him on the back.
When I was a kid with my gramps I just thought I loved doing this. But I found out it’s even better on this side of the game. The teaching side.
Every single day these kids teach me a little something I never knew about myself. I learned from Rogan that I am an expert diaper changer. I’m much faster than Mercy is at it. A thing I wish I hadn’t gloated about so much because now she uses that to get me to do most of the diaper duty.
Mia taught me that I can braid hair like a professional. She likes the way I do her hair so that’s another thing that I’m the go-to guy for. And Carter has taught me that being a good role model is my top priority. That little guy watches my every move so I have to be on my game when he’s around.
Never did I think the thing that would make my life better than it had ever been would be having a family to call my very own. Life is good and it just keeps getting better.
MERCY
Sitting in a rocking chair on the wrap-around porch of the ranch house we recently bought, I rock little Rogan to sleep as I watch Jude teaching Carter and Mia how to rides the horses he just brought home for them.
He spoils these kids the same way he was spoiled. Not a thing comes out of their mouths that they have the slightest interest in that he doesn’t show up with one day out of the blue.
At first, I was all over him about doing that. But in true Jude fashion, he was going to do what he was going to do. So, like everything Jude-related, I got over it and let him have his way. There’s no stopping the man, anyway.
That determined spirit he has might seem like a real pain in the butt at times but it got him through a patch of his life that would’ve been devastating if he didn’t have that. So I have to respect that aspect of him.
Jude has made my life so much more than what my initial plan was. To become a lonely woman who lived her life merely to work and raise kids and leave romance and relationships out of it.
He forced his way into my world and I can’t stop thanking God that he did that for me. Pulling the baby off my shoulder, I look at his sleeping face. He’s a combination of me and the man I love with all of my heart. A testament to our love and our commitment to one another.
Our family will be strong because if Jude and his love for us all. And I’ll never take that man for granted. He is a gift to us and I’ll always treat him like that.
The day Jude Hurst came into my life is a day I’ll never forget and I will cherish the gift I was given on that day for the rest of my life, and then some.
The End
The Lucky Series
An Alpha Billionaire Romance
By Michelle Love
Blake Chandler- 22 years old. Has won five lotteries the previous year as he traveled across the country to spread his parent’s ashes and purchased lottery tickets with money they left him and instructions to do. He won twenty billion, but after taxes he’s down to a mere ten billion and is looking for financial advice. He lives in Lubbock, Texas, next door to Lexi’s brother, Josh. Josh sets him up with Max Lane to help get his finances straight before he loses it all to taxes. Blake’s physical appearance is; tall, 6’3” muscular, shoulder length blonde curls, symmetrical chiseled features, brown and blue hazel eyes. He’s a sweet, happy-go-lucky guy. He makes fast friends with Max and Kip. (He’s met Kip and Peyton in L.A. at the beach)
Rachelle Stone- 20 years old, but turns 21 in the first book- In college at UCLA, in L.A. in the Culinary Arts Program. Her mother doesn’t know who her father is and has little to do with her. When she was three her mother placed her in a children’s home. (The same one Max Lane was in, he was fifteen at the time) Her grandparents live in Round Rock, Texas and that’s her only real family. She has abandonment issues. Her physical appearance is; Small frame, 5’2”, deep black, straight hair that hangs to her small waist. Brilliant, deep blue eyes fringed in dark, thick lashes. Porcelain skin with hints of pink staining her high cheek bones and red, pouty lips. Her character is trying hard to be tough and keep most people at arms-length. Peyton is her best friend and after meeting Max again, she forms a little bond with him as an older brother figure.
Part 1 Lucky Stars
Blake
Pinks and oranges fill the sky as the sun sets behind my parent’s home. The mailbox has become my enemy, but I check it anyway. The last letter from the IRS took millions from me. I close my eyes and hope there’s nothing else from them in the box shaped like a large mouth bass.
My father was a novice fisherman, but you wouldn’t know that by the amount of fishing paraphernalia he had accumulated in his lifetime. My mother was not a very good cook, but she had enough cookbooks to stock an aisle in Barnes and Nobles.
They passed away last year, together, right in the house I still live in. I was away at college, thankfully, or I’d be where they are now. A gas leak in the house took them as they slept one night.
I should sell the place and move, especially since I lucked out on the road trip they had me make. In their will they left me three thousand dollars, and I had to use every penny of that money to play the lotteries through every state I went through on my journey to spread their ashes.
Dad was spread in the Atlantic Ocean and Mom in the Pacific. The crazy thing is that I won seven of the lotteries and each jackpot was larger than the next. I ended that week a billionaire.
Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Every time I tell that story I have to thank them. Between them and God is the only way I got that money. I don’t think I’ve ever been this lucky.
Well, the luck is running out as the IRS is finding way after way to get the money.
“Hey, what ya doin’ out here at the ol’ fish box?” my neighbor, Josh asks me as he strides out of his house next door.
He moved here a couple of years ago and we hang out now and then, he’s a bit older than I am. I’m a kid to most at twenty-one, so I get left out of a lot of the block parties the older people have. Josh is a pretty good guy though and a great neighbor.
“Just checking to see if there are any more letters from the evil government, trying to take my money,” I gripe as I close the fish’s mouth and am happy to see there are no letters from my ar
ch nemesis.
“About your money,” he says. “It’s none of my business and I love having you as a neighbor, but why the hell are you still here in the two-bedroom house you grew up in? Get a mansion like all the other billionaires, dude!”
With a shrug of my shoulders, I say, “It’s not the right time yet. I know it sounds crazy, but I don’t want to leave the old house behind just yet. I’ll get out of it someday, but not just yet. My parents’ things are all in it and I’d have to pack them up if I move. Frankly, I kind of act like they’re on vacation and will be home anytime. It makes me keep the house cleaned up.”
He chuckles and pats me on the back.
“You should come over and eat dinner with us tonight. The wife made spaghetti.”
“Thanks, but I have a frozen dinner cooking in the oven and I’d hate to let it go to waste. Maybe another night.” I stroll back up the walkway to the old home my parents bought when they had me. It’s looking a little worse for wear and I make a mental note to at least get new siding on it. I’m a freaking billionaire after all.
“Hey,” Josh calls out, stopping my retreat. “Did you say the IRS took a lot of your money?”
I nod and whine, “Yeah, I have no idea what to do about it.”
He jogs up to me.
“My brother-in-law happens to be a man in your position.”
“What position is that, a top player in Halo? Cause hook me up, I love a challenge,” I say as that can be all he means. I do little else since I won the money.
“No,” he says with a laugh. “He’s rich too. Filthy, stinkin’ just like you. He lives in Houston. I could set up a meeting so he could help you figure out your finances and how to keep most of your money.”
“Really!” My heart speeds up with the first good news I’ve heard in a while. “That would be awesome, dude!”
He turns to go back to his house. “I’ll call him and ask when would be a good time for him. You’re pretty much wide open aren’t you?”
“I’m completely wide open. Thanks so much.” I wave and go inside.
I break into a dance as I finally may have someone to help me not only take action to keep my money, but maybe they can help me figure out something worthwhile to do with it as well.
Looks like I got another lucky day!
Max
“For the love of all which is holy!” I jump to avoid tripping over the Barbie dream car hiding at the bottom of the staircase. “Zoey, what did I tell you about leaving your toys lying around? Especially on the stairs!” I round the corner to see my four-year-old daughter diving behind her mother as she sits on the sofa in the sitting room we use for the kids to play in.
“Max!” Lexi shouts at me. “No need to yell! She’s just a little girl. She forgets things. It’s not her fault.”
“Then who’s is it, Lex? You baby these kids. The twins are in pre-k for God’s….”
“Stop!” she interrupts. “Remember there are little parrots in this home and they repeat every word we say.”
“For goodness sakes. Okay? Happy?” I ask as I look around for my car keys. “Do you happen to know where the keys to my Jag are?”
She points to our one and a half-year-old son, Zakk. He has them in his mouth and is slobbering all over them. I look around for something to trade him and find a candy cane that may have been around since last Christmas, but I gotta do what I gotta do.
I pick up the slightly chewed on candy and make my way to the smiling baby boy.
“Look what Daddy’s got.” I wiggle the candy at him and his blue eyes shine up at me. He has my eyes and his mother’s silky, blonde hair.
Lexi clears her throat, drawing my attention.
“No way. Keep looking for something else to trade him with.”
With a growl I take the candy cane to the kitchen and dispose of it like it should’ve been done long ago. I find him one of his little cookies and take that back to the sitting room my not so little family is in.
Lexi meets me just outside the door, my keys in her hand.
“Now I have them. What are you going to trade me for them, huh?”
Wrapping my arms around her, I whisper behind her ear and press my body to hers, “I’ll trade you one kiss and a hell of a lot more tonight when I get you into our bed.”
“Deal,” she says as she places the keys in my hand and turns her lips up to mine.
Though we’ve been together for a good few years now, her kiss still takes me to another place and time. Heat fills me as her sweet lips press against mine. Her lips part and I swirl my tongue around hers.
I grind into her soft body and wish like hell we could run upstairs for a little alone time. Her hand runs over my ass and my insides turn to jelly.
Then she tugs on my shirt.
“Daddy, hey, Daddy!” my four-year-old son, Zane, shouts. “Hey, can I go too?”
It was his hand on my ass apparently. I pull my mouth from my wife’s and place my forehead to hers.
“How many more of these things did I say I wanted to have?”
“You said several more, but I’m getting the distinct impression that three is enough for you.” Her hand runs over my cheek and I grab it and kiss her palm.
“Yeah, for now and maybe forever, three is more than plenty.” I turn and rub Zane’s little, blonde head. “Hey, buddy, not this time, okay? Daddy’s picking up a man at the airport and it can be a little taxing to try to keep up with you when there’s so many people. I’ll be back home soon.”
“Well, can you at least bring me something back, like a puppy or a kitty cat?” he asks as his bottom lips juts out in a pout.
“Oh! A kitty!” Zoey shouts as she runs out of the room.
“No! Lord have mercy! Lexi, these kids!” I walk away as Zoey grabs one leg and Zane grabs the other. They giggle like crazy people as they try to slow me down.
Lexi grabs the baby and follows behind me. Once I reach the door she gets the kids to leave me alone, using just one word, “Stop.”
They let go as if she magically made them somehow. I look at her.
“You have to teach me your ways, you’re a Jedi master.”
“I am,” she says as she scoots the kids back. A little kiss she leaves on my cheek.
“Hurry back to me. And thanks again for meeting with this guy for my brother, Josh. It’s a really sweet and nice thing for you to do, Max.”
I smack my head and turn back as I remember we have guests coming.
“What time are Kip and Peyton getting here?”
“Around four, Peyton said. They’re coming in on his new chopper, since you helped him get his license.”
“Cool, I’ll try to have this guy squared away by then so we can chill out by the pool with you guys,” I say and make my way to the car.
Looks like it’s going to be a full day!
Kip
“I know I put his toy in the diaper bag, Peyton. Keep looking,” I say as our one-year-old son, Pax, screams his head off.
Rachelle, my wife Peyton’s, best friend tries to distract the child by making silly faces at him. We’re in my new helicopter, flying to Houston to spend the weekend with our friends, the Lanes.
I didn’t know Pax was going to freak out when he realized his little stuffed bear wasn’t by his side once he woke up. Peyton pulls the bear out of the bag with an expression of triumph on her pretty face.
“Here it is! I have it,” she shouts over his wails. “Here, baby, look Mommy found it.”
His mouth shuts, and he sniffles and holds his hand out for his toy. I roll my eyes at my wife.
“You really need to work with him more. He’s a very demanding child.”
“He’s your son. All the way around, Kip, he’s you. From his dark blond hair to his deep blue eyes, the boy is you all over again, bad temper and all.” She pats the back of my hand.
“I don’t even have a temper, Peyton,” I say as I adjust our speed as we come into a little cloud bank.
“No, sure
you don’t,” she says with a laugh. She turns to look at Rachelle in the back seat. “This man has no temper, but let me tell you what. If you use the last egg without getting more and it is early on a Sunday morning, watch out! This man will read you the riot act and let you know that can never happen, not ever.”
I do recall that particular little scene, but I was dog tired from a night of agony as our son was cutting his first tooth, and there was no coffee either.
The mansion comes into view and I see the pad has been cleared for me. Max and I have been mates for a couple of years, but it seems like forever. He and his wife are as close as siblings to me and mine.
It doesn’t take long once we land to find their twins running towards us. Zoey shouts, “Hunky Kip, Auntie Peyton!”
I hold out my arms and she rushes into them, little kisses she pecks all over my face as she holds my cheeks between her small hands.
“How’s my girl?”
“I’m fine. How’s my pony?” she asks. I bought her and her brother ponies last Christmas and kept them at our place in Los Angeles.
Her brother, Zane, tugs at my pants leg.
“Is my pony being good, Uncle Kip?”
“He is,” I say and put Zoey down and tussle the little, blonde boy’s hair.
Lexi walks out with their baby, Zakk on her hip. Her long legs clad in a pair of pink shorts and a little, white T-shirt hugs her toned body. She’s a true beauty all the way through. Max tells a story about how she was when they first met and I have a devil of a time believing the man.
He said she was a nerdy girl hidden behind owlish glasses and hid her spectacular figure beneath clothes too big for her. I just can’t believe that. She takes long strides towards us and gives me a hug.
“I’m so happy you all are here.”
Doctor's Demands: A Submissives’ Secrets Novel Page 77