"Are you coming?" She asks me from the top of the ladder that goes up to the roof of the back of the play house out in her parents' back yard.
"What's up there?"
Honestly, I didn't even know there was another side to the little building. The ladder runs up the back of the shed from the outside, leading to a balcony that looks more like a pirate lair or a fort than the prissy little play house on the front side.
Court giggles and disappears over the edge. A second later, her face reappears over the edge of the landing, looking down at me.
"The tower, silly, I thought you've been out here with the kids all week?"
"Tower?"
I was mostly at Kendra's mercy every time I've been out here. I had no idea that if I'd approached from the back of the little house that I'd have found something that was part tree fort and part castle.
As I climb up the ladder, I see that the peak of the roof hides a small castle turret from the front.
Courtney peeks out from a small doorway cut into the loft and waves.
"Seriously? How big is this play house?" I ask, laughing, as I crawl through the door into a room just big enough for the two of us to lay down in.
"I don't know," Court says as she spreads a blanket out on the wooden floor, "Dad converted his old garden shed into the play house for me when I was a kid, but then Austin kept breaking in with his friends. They'd turn it into a fort and hold my dolls hostage.
"I got so upset that Dad finally just built on to the back of the play house. He extended the roof with the platform, put up the ladder and the zip line, and built this little room in the tower-- so Austin could still hold my dolls hostage, of course," Courtney explains sarcastically.
"Well this a pretty big room for kids," I tell her, trying not to be too obvious while I scan the area for this supposed zip line.
"Dad felt that Austin needed a big enough space to keep him and his friends out of my hair, so he made the room big enough for the boys to camp out in."
While I'm busy being impressed with the castle tower, Courtney has pulled blankets and pillows from a storage box built in under the little window and made a nice place for us to stretch out.
She turns on a little battery operated lantern that glows softly in the corner of the little room. I watch her pull off her shoes and slip between the blankets.
She wiggles and shimmies under the unzipped sleeping bag she's using as a top blanket, and then holds her jeans out and drops them next to the lantern.
My inner 10 year old suddenly loses interest in the fort. The 30 year old man, however, is suddenly very interested.
My own shoes hit the floor with a couple of thuds that sound loudly in the stillness of the late November evening.
Quickly, I join Courtney under the covers and her hands are working to free me from my own jeans before I can do it myself.
Of course, that just frees up my hands to run them under her blouse and push the cups of her bra up and off of her sweet little tits.
Her nipples are already rock hard as my thumbs brush over them. Probably because it's damn cold out here, but as her back arches to press her flesh closer to my touch, I get the idea that it's not just because she's cold.
In fact, we're warming up pretty fast and I'm all too eager to help her out when she tugs my shirt off over my head.
Her short nails skip down my chest, puckering my own nipples and pulling an unexpected gasp from my throat at the lightness of her touch as she reaches between us. She doesn't even bother undoing my jeans, she just slips her hand under the waistband and past my briefs till she's holding my cock firmly, bringing it to full attention with her expert touch.
I need to get my own hands on her, get her naked and panting and shaking from something other than the chill. So when Courtney decides my jeans are in her way, I take advantage of the opportunity to shift position so I'm on top of her.
"What do you think you're doing?" I can hear her smile in the darkness.
She frees me of my pants and as soon as I'm naked above her, I take advantage of it, pressing my thick cock against the place where her thighs are pressed together and breaking into a smile of my own when she inhales quickly at the feel of how fucking hard I am for her.
"I think I'm going to make my fiance glad she dragged me out here so her parents can't hear her screaming," I whisper.
Courtney makes a noise that's part giggle and part groan in anticipation. She knows I keep my promises.
My mouth comes down on her perfect little tits and she squirms in my hands until I have her as naked as I need her so her dripping little pussy is already ready when I get my head between her legs.
Courtney
I knew I needed to get Blake out of the house. I needed to celebrate our official engagement properly-- and that meant getting him somewhere no one would hear us and doing it soon!
Blake's wasting no time getting me warmed up-- both literally and figuratively-- but he's always been good at taking his time making sure I'm ready for him. Really good. Even when I'm over eager like I am now.
As soon as I give him the slightest chance to get control, he takes it. Flipping me onto my back and moving above me. His hands move over my skin, leaving it burning for more as I arch my back against his touch.
My moans fill the darkness of the little loft and once again, I'm glad I brought us out here where I don't have to worry about who can hear us.
Blake moves lower, settling between my legs and pushing my thighs wide so he can get to his goal. Then he's tonguing my clit while his thumb strokes the seam of my pussy.
Now I'm really glad I don't have to stifle my moans because once his fingers begin to glide in and out of my hole I'm lost in the mixed sensation of his hands and his mouth working at the same time.
My moans turn to screams quickly. I'm so fucking ready to make love to my man. I'm begging for his cock already, wanting to feel his thick girth where his fingers are now, I need him filling me up while he kisses me passionately until I have to break away to scream his name.
Blake keeps me waiting, keeps me wanting, keeps me grinding my hips against his face while I clutch the blankets beneath me till I come hard and loud the way he wants me too.
It seems like it takes forever for me to catch my breath and feel the soft kisses he's scattering between my thighs while he patiently waits for me to recover.
I feel wrung out already, my body relaxed and tingling, but it's not enough. It's never enough with Blake. It won't be enough until he's inside me, filling me up, and coming with me.
As if he can read my mind, Blake's soft kisses grow more intense as he makes his way back up my body, turning from gentle presses of his lips to eager nips with careful teeth.
"I need you," my voice quivers with need to match the way my body moves instinctively to meet his when I feel the moist tip of his cock against my still tender opening.
"I like you all needy," he whispers hoarsely, obviously making an effort to hold back.
"Don't tease," I beg. I don't want him to hold back, I want all of him. I lift my hips and rock against his hardness, letting my body ask for what it wants.
Blake exhales harshly at the feel of my slick lips against his shaft.
"Who's teasing who?" he asks as he nips my throat and holds his position, enjoying his own anticipation as well as mine.
And then he gives in. He lets my body catch his and we begin to slide together. It's good that I'm so wet and relaxed, ready to take all of him as he enters me with less self-control than he means to.
My body stretches eagerly to accommodate him, welcoming every inch of him until there's no space left between us. Then we begin to move, my hips rising to take every thrust.
The night fills with the sound of our combined breathing; hard and fast and increasing in volume until it's his harsh grunt and my strangled scream as I feel him empty inside me as my walls tighten and pulse as if my body was trying to drink his seed deeper into me.
When the after
shocks finally pass and we finally collapse in the blankets, we stay tangled with each other for a long time before he breaks the silence.
"You know, my plan was to be married by the end of the year, not just engaged."
I nod sleepily against his shoulder, "Yeah, me too."
"Well, I know it takes a long time to plan a wedding," he says, his voice getting groggy as his hand strokes my arm, "we'll just have to count engaged as close enough."
"I don't need a big wedding," I tell him honestly, "I want to be married, not get married."
It's true, too. I was never all about planning a big wedding and being the center of attention for a day. I want to build a life and start a family, and as soon as I met Blake, I knew I'd found the right person to do that with.
"I'd rather do the courthouse thing and start the new year the way we'd planned," I say.
"Waiting in line at the social security office and the DMV to change your name?" Blake jokes.
With a nod and a giggle, I can't help but add, "Giving notice, changing my address..."
"That sounds like fun," Blake says as he pulls me against him, "I think I'll help."
The cold is starting to intrude into our little hideout but I'm not ready to head back to the house just yet so I snuggle up against Blake and enjoy the feeling of his arms closing even tighter around me.
An idea strikes me and I think Blake might just like it too.
"What if we get married on New Year's eve?" I ask, momentarily too enthusiastic to notice the cold, "That gives us just enough time to invite the most important people and get the paperwork done."
Blake rolls toward me and lifts himself up on his elbow. It means I'm not enclosed in the warmth of my Blake cocoon anymore and I gather the two top blankets close around me.
"I like the way you think, future Mrs. McAllistar, and it just so happens I know someone who's ordained who might just be willing to work on New Year's eve."
With my eyes fully adjusted to the dim light, I can see the mischievous grin on his face and I'm dying of curiosity.
"Really? Who?" I demand, playfully.
Blake smirks like he's thinking about whether or not to tell me, but then he smiles and gives in, "Norma," he says matter-of-factly.
"Norma? My Norma?" I'm incredulous. I'd never have guessed in a million years that the woman I once bawled my eyes out to over my first heart break when I tried to fake cramps to get out of having to see that boy in class would one day play such a pivotal roll in finding my real happily ever after.
"Our Norma," Blake corrects, "I think it's only fair that I get to claim her too, seeing as how she's pretty much the reason you didn't end up with someone else."
I can't argue with that.
I can't believe that at one point, I thought she'd screwed my whole life up, making a big deal out of something so stupid that I didn't even remember it when I was doing my interviews with Raven and Jessica, and now it turns out that she's the reason I'm getting everything I wanted.
"Maybe we should head inside," Blake tells me, noticing I'm starting to shiver, "it's really fucking cold out here."
We manage to find our clothes and get down the ladder, taking the blankets with us and hoping we can sneak them into the laundry room without getting caught.
"I already know what my new year's resolution is for next year," Blake says as we cross the lawn.
"Oh yeah? What is it?"
"To love, honor, and cherish you..." he puts his arm over my shoulder, stopping me from walking any further until he's done kissing me, "...and knocking you up."
With a jab to his ribs, I laugh and start walking again, making him jog 2 steps to catch up with me but I like his new resolution. I like it a lot.
Thank you for reading A New Resolution
Another Raven Swann Modern Match-Maker Romance
If this was your first book in the series, you'll be glad to know that each book follows one couple to their own happily ever after without any cliff-hanger endings and can be read in any order.
There are more great stories to be told from the files of Raven's match making portfolio, and plenty of other stories in the works so keep in touch so you don't miss a new release.
Rocklyn's Newsletter
More Modern Match-Maker Romance Titles
(Raven Swann's client files)
A Perfect Gentleman (excerpt included)
A Nice Boy
A Smart Choice
A Great Catch
A Real Keeper
A Good Move
A Wise Investment
An Elegant Solution
A Total Sweetheart
A Lucky Break
A Sensible Arrangement
A New Resolution
The WILD Romance Collection
Full Length Stand Alone Romances
BUSH
WOOD
ROUGH
BONE
Get started on the Arranged by Raven series with A Perfect Gentleman
The first story from the client files of Raven Swann can be enjoyed on Amazon.
from A Perfect Gentleman
Brooke
"I'm serious!"
I know I'm being dramatic but fuck it. I deserve to be over the top at a time like this.
I fling myself back on the bed and throw my arm over my head. The tears threatening at the corners of my eyes are real. I'm over acting so I can keep my sense of humor but the truth of the matter is-- everything sucks and I really am going to start crying any minute.
"Brooke," Paige isn't buying it for a minute, "there's nothing wrong with you. Or your picker."
Paige might be my bestie, but she's so not helping right now.
"My picker is broken, how else can you explain how I manage to keep ending up with assholes like Damian?"
Paige laughs, "Well first of all, you could stop falling for guys with names like Damian! I mean really, how did that not tip you off right off the bat?"
I throw my arm over my face and groan.
"Seriously, Brookie, if you want to meet a good guy you're going to have to change your patterns."
"I don't even know what that means," I moan into the crook of my elbow.
"It means stop picking up guys based on their tattoos. Stop shopping in bars where all the guys are wearing leather jackets and ride motorcycles. Try a book club or maybe volunteer somewhere, that's how I met Jace."
Her voice gets all lilty and high pitched when she says his name. It makes her sound like she's 15 again. I've been listening to her "I'm in love and this is The One" voice for ten years. I've only heard it about a hundred times, I'm really good at recognizing it by now.
And really, "Jace," how can she even try to tell me that Damian's name should have given him away? But there's no point pointing that out to her, she and Jace just made it past their second anniversary. Their second month, that is, but that's half way to happily ever after for Paige so there's no way she's going to hear anything I have to say about the newest love of her life.
"I'm going to sign up to be a mail order bride."
When I say it I'm joking but Paige doesn't laugh at me right away and the few seconds of silence let me marinate in my words.
"You are not." Paige's voice lacks the conviction that I'm used to.
I expected her to immediately scold me for giving up on finding love the old-fashioned way. I expected her to tell me to stop talking crazy and launch into a list of ways to find a great guy.
She tells me no, but she doesn't sound like she means it. I pull my arm off my eyes and look at her.
She's got her phone in her hand and she's looking at the screen with an intense interest. She's Googling something.
"On second thought..."
Oh shit! She's looking up mail order bride sites?
I sit up and give her my best deer-in-the-headlights look, "You are not looking that shit up!"
I can't believe she's taking me seriously.
Her face scrunches up. I watch her thumb work
its way across the screen, clicking on links and then going scrolling through the sites she's opened. Her face scrunches, she frowns, then her eyebrows shoot up, she smiles, she frowns again.
"What?!" The suspense is killing me.
OK. It's not like I'm really serious about becoming a mail order bride. I mean, I didn't even think it was a real thing, but Paige looks like she's having no trouble finding sites.
"Well," she starts off hesitantly while she's still browsing, "the good news is you can totally be a mail order bride if you're serious?" She looks up me with a curious look on her face.
"What's the bad news?" I have to admit, this is getting my mind off Damian. I almost even crack a smile.
Paige looks back down at the site she has open and shakes her head like she can't believe what she's reading, "The bad news is that you can totally be a mail order bride if you're serious."
"That bad?" I finally laugh.
"Depends on your idea of bad," she grins, "Apparently mountain men needs brides, as do truck drivers, fisherman, and prison inmates."
"No lighthouse keepers?" I tease, but seriously, mountain men? I crane my neck to see what site she's on.
"I don't see anything for lighthouse keepers, but if you're willing to relocate to Bolivia, this guy's only missing a few teeth," she holds her phone for me to see a picture of smiling man that appears to be 300 years old with only 2 visible teeth. Only two teeth are visible because that's all he has. The empty spaces along his gumline are obvious.
I shiver.
So much for mail order matrimony.
"Hmm," Paige has switched to a different site, she sounds intrigued. Always dangerous, but still, I'm curious.
"What?"
"Arranged marriage," she reads.
"Arranged?" I mimic her curious tone.
Fiddler on the Roof comes to mind. As does Bobby Jenkins. That's probably what I'd end up with if I let my dad pick a husband for me. There's a reason I wouldn't let Dad pick for me.
A New Resolution: A Modern Match-Maker Romance Page 11