by Amelia Wilde
“Five days a month.”
It warms my entire chest like a shot of tequila. Not that I’ve had a shot of tequila in recent weeks, or even recent years, but I remember what it felt like—and actually, this is better.
I raise his hand to my lips and kiss his knuckles. “I love that you’d do that for me, but you can’t do that for me.”
“I can, and I have.”
“That’s not enough for you.”
“You know what, Holiday Taylor?” He makes the turn into his driveway, throws the car in park, and turns the key in the ignition. Then he holds my hands with both of his. “You’ve taught me a lot.”
“I know. You’re way better at sex now.”
He jerks backward. “Excuse me, but you hunted me down on the beach a month later because of my prowess.”
“I hunted you down because I was pregnant.”
“Because of my prowess.” Driver clears his throat. “You’ve taught me that I can find ways to be in control over my own life even if I’m not spending every day behind the wheel. I learned that because you did the same thing by shutting yourself in a house like Rapuznel.”
I sniff. “It wasn’t like Rapunzel. I didn’t have a cool tower or anything.”
He looks into my eyes. “I decided this. Roman and I figured it out. And what it means for us is that we’re meeting in the middle.” He laughs. “I still can’t believe they gave you that job as a remote worker.”
“They must have been impressed with my gumption.”
Driver laughs. “Where do you get these words?”
“Books and movies. Where else? I spent all summer in a sprawling summer cottage with no responsibilities and a private library.”
“You never showed me the library.” Driver narrows his eyes. “How can I be sure it was there?”
“I never showed you the library because it doesn’t have a bed in it.”
“I do not need a bed to show you the time of your life.” He leans in, blue eyes shining, and kisses me.
It’s as good as the first time, every time. Driver’s lips are firm and gentle and as the kiss lengthens it gets hotter, his tongue demanding entrance to my lips. I’m hot and bothered in a matter of heartbeats, squirming in my seat.
“Hey, lovebirds.” The rap at my window is enough to wake the dead. “Driver, get your tongue out of her throat. We’re all waiting.”
Driver raises a hand slowly into the frame of the window, his middle finger raised. “We’ll continue this shortly,” he tells me.
“We’d better.” I turn to face a grinning Beau, who waves at me like a contestant in a beauty pageant.
We get out of the car and go up toward the porch, where Roman and Charlie are waiting.
“There’s another housewarming surprise,” Driver murmurs into my ear. My heart races, then gallops. “You’re going to love it.”
At the door, Beau clears his throat, then opens it for us and lets us step through.
I. Am. Speechless.
My mouth hangs open like a flytrap, but I couldn’t close it to save my life. Every inch of this place—every inch that I can see—has been completely repainted. It was dark before, as if Beau had left the decorations from the previous owner, but now? Now?
Now it’s as bright as my uncle’s cottage. It wasn’t exactly a small house before, but now it looks open and massive and clean.
“I—”
“Shh,” Beau says. “Come upstairs before you thank us.”
He leads the way up to the second floor, which is large enough for Driver’s bedroom—our bedroom—and two additional bedrooms. Beau stops at the first door on the right and swings it open.
“A nursery!” I cry, because apparently I lose the power to do anything other than basic descriptions when I’m this overwhelmed by love. “A baby nursery! You guys.” I turn around to face them. All four of them. Driver, who gave them permission to change everything while we were gone. Roman, who probably micromanaged the whole enterprise. Charlie, standing quietly in the back, who organized the budgeting. And Beau, who undoubtedly hung around bothering the construction crew and suppling them with free drinks. “This is amazing. What can I do? Can I buy you a pizza? Let me buy you a pizza. I’m not going to make it, but where can I order it from? Do you have—Driver, what’s the best pizza place?” I pull my phone out of my pocket and drop it on the ground, then realize I never followed through on my intended hug. I get them all in my arms as much as I can, squeezing tight. “Thank you. I’m going to get you a lot of pizza. Thank you so much.”
“I think she likes it,” Beau says in a strangled voice. I release his neck, then kiss each of them on the cheek. Except for Driver. I bite his lip. It’s been a long car ride back to the Bliss Resort, and I want him. As soon as his brothers are out of the way…look out.
I snatch my phone off the floor and go back downstairs. There’s so much to see, and already it feels exactly right. It feels like I belong here. And most importantly, it feels like I could go anywhere, for any amount of time, and still find home in these rooms.
That’s what it’s about. Not hiding from the world, and not subjecting myself to living arrangements I don’t like for the sake of…
For no sake at all, really. There was never a sake when it came to living in the city.
“Are your other brothers coming?” I call back up the stairs to Driver. “Huck, and Asher?”
“Asher’s never coming,” one of the twins calls down to me. I can’t tell which one, and then they’re all thundering down the steps to the main floor. “Maybe you should ride his ass about that, Roman.”
“Maybe I will,” says Roman, and Driver laughs.
“I’ll believe that when I see it.”
I look up the number for the pizza place and dial, making my way back through the living room, taking a detour through the den, and ending in the kitchen. It’s bathed in the kind of evening light that used to make me sad. I was sad because I’d spent another day not being the person I wanted to be.
Those days are over.
I order three pizzas just to express my gratitude and look out the kitchen window. Driver’s brothers mowed the lawn and put in a little playset while we were gone. The miniature swing fills me with anticipation and nervousness and…hope.
So much hope.
Arms wrap around me from behind and I lean into Driver’s chest. “Do you like it?” he says into my hair.
“I love it.” I lean down and kiss the backs of his hands. “But I love you more.”
“You scared?”
I know he’s not asking about the house.
“Oh, I’m terrified.” He laughs, his chest shaking against my back. “It’s going to be a wild ride. Worth it in the end, though.”
“Worth it without end.” Driver kisses me one more time, smiling at his own clever play on words.
He’s got that right.
Epilogue
Charlie
The pizza arrives with Jenny and Claire, who clearly accosted the delivery man at the end of the sidewalk. They ring the doorbell too many times and pile in through the front door of Driver’s house.
“We helped him so much,” Jenny says, balancing the three pizza boxes on her hands. “This is hot.”
I take the boxes from her and bend down to kiss her cheek, then Claire’s.
“So serious, Charlie,” says Claire. “Aren’t you impressed with us? We tipped double, too. He’s going to love coming here.”
“I hate to break it to you, but all the drivers from that pizza place love coming here. The Bliss family has a reputation for tipping well.”
Claire flicks my chest. “Don’t steal my thunder.”
Beau sticks his head into the entryway. “Is that the pizza? Thank god.”
“I love you so much,” Claire tells him, and he laughs.
“Driver!” shouts Jenny. “Show us the new house!” Somehow, they all push past me and I’m left standing in the entryway with the pizza boxes.
More
for me.
I go down the hall and cross through the living room, where everybody is gathered, exclaiming over the new paint job. I’m not even going to mention that it’s more than a paint job. Most of the drywall in Driver’s house had to come out. And still, thanks to yours truly, the project got done on time and only slightly over budget.
I lay the pizza boxes on the kitchen counter, opening each one. I’m not sure if anyone notices that I’m the one who does this kind of behind-the-scenes stuff, but it might be better that way. It’s hard to concentrate with people around.
“Thanks for doing this.” I turn my head in time too see Holiday rising on tiptoe to reach into one of the open-front covers for plates. “The pizza took forever to get here, didn’t it?”
“Forever. Ruby Bay needs another pizza place.”
“I bet you could start one.” She stretches her arms above her head.
“Here—I’ll get them.” I lift the plates down from the shelf and when I set them down next to the pizzas, I feel her eyes on me. “Is…everything all right?’
“Is everything all right with you?” Holiday watches me. She has eyes in a shade of gray I’ve never seen on a person before. “You’re really quiet and serious.”
“Everybody here plays a part.”
“Do you wish you were playing a different one?”
My breath catches. Most of the time, no. I’m invested in my work, and I want to keep the family legacy alive for at least another five generations. But when I see the rest of them gathered together like that, all paired up…
“Not always.” It’s as much of the truth as I’m willing to give her.
“Charlie. You’re holding out on us,” Beau calls from the living room. “Bring it on out.”
“Come get it yourself, you lazyass,” I shout back, giving Holiday another smile. “Sometimes you need the right person to play a different part. I haven’t found one yet.”
She pats me on the arm, nodding like she can possibly understand.
I don’t tell her that I don’t think I’ll ever find that person.
Who tells someone their secret fears at a party? Not me.
Not now, anyway. And probably not ever.
I focus on the pizza instead.
Thank you so much for reading Stuck On You! But oh, Driver—don’t you know that things that happen after two a.m. have consequences?
If you have to know what happens with Driver, preorder CRAZY ON YOU now!
It has everything:
✓ a reunion romance
✓ a serious, hidden-alpha hero
✓ a homebody and a man who needs the road
Be the first to get the next Bliss Brother on your Kindle by preordering here! ➳ CRAZY ON YOU
Connect with Amelia
Amelia Wilde is a USA TODAY and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of steamy contemporary romance and loves it a little too much. She lives in Michigan with her husband and daughters. She spends most of her time typing furiously on an iPad and appreciating the natural splendor of her home state from where she likes it best: inside.
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P.S. There’s more where CRUSH ON YOU came from!
Are you in the mood for wounded warrior heroes with huge hearts? Read BEFORE SHE WAS MINE free in KU today!
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Also by Amelia Wilde
Bliss Brothers
Crush on You: Roman Bliss never saw Jenny London coming. This ugly duckling turned brunette bombshell could either save his resort…or destroy his heart.
Stuck on You: Beau Bliss meets his worst enemy in this opposites-attract firecracker of a novel. Who’s going to win this battle?
Hooked on You: Driver Bliss needs his freedom, but he might be willing to give it up for a mysterious one-night stand…
Wounded Hearts
Before She Was Mine: Dayton Nash survived the war, but he might not survive falling in love with his best friend’s little sister.
After I Was His: War has torn Wes Sullivan apart. Whitney Coalport could put him back together…if they don’t destroy each other first.
When He Saw Me: Bennett Powell never stops searching for the truth. So it makes sense when he falls for Eva…who is a liar through and through.
The New York Billionaires Series
Rich Boss: Kate already had a demanding boss. Then she meets Jax Hunter, the new owner of her company.
Rich Scandal: Graham Blackpool is never getting married. But when a sex scandal forces him into a fake engagement, he finds himself wanting to say I do…
Main Street Single Dads
Over Easy: Ryder isn’t looking for love, but he can’t help falling for the waitress serving him pancakes in his brand-new town.
Cold Brew: Dash isn’t in Lakewood to make friends. He’s here to crush the competition… until he meets his rival and things reach a boiling point.
Sugar Rush: Wilder is the world’s biggest rock star and a desolate widow. All of that changes when he meets the girl behind the counter at Lakewood’s best candy shop.
Copyright Information
Cover Design: Cover Me Timbers
Editing: Write Way Creative
Proofreading: Cassie Hess-Dean
© 2019 Amelia Wilde
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means whatsoever without express written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
For more books by Amelia Wilde, visit her online at www.awilderomance.com