by Lex Martin
Reaching for Katherine, I just hold her for a moment before I whisper, “I’ve been a bad boy too.”
She laughs, and I squeeze her tighter.
We stroll back to the house hand-in-hand and head into the kitchen where Mrs. Mac is giving Izzy a snack. Our neighbor raises an eyebrow. “So are you two lovebirds official now or what?”
I laugh. “Yup. We’re official.”
“Thank goodness.” She motions toward the other room in a less than covert way and chirps, “Well, I see you have things to do around here, so I’ll be getting outta your hair.”
As soon as the front door closes, Kat laughs. “What in the world was that about?”
“A surprise,” I call out as I get a box out of the office. It jerks in my arms, and I steady it and hold the gift out to Kat, who grins.
She’s reaching for the lid when it pops open, and a furry face meows at her.
“Valentine!” she squeals and grabs her favorite kitten. “You got him back for me?”
“Yeah. I felt bad about giving them away. I figured, what the hell? It’s one kitten. Besides, Bandit needs a buddy.”
She squishes me in a hug, and I laugh and wrap my arms around her, careful not to hurt the furball.
Once she’s done smothering Valentine, I sit her at the table next to Izzy’s high chair and take a deep breath before I hand her a jewelry box.
I rub my chin with the back of my knuckles. “I brought this with me to Corpus, but then decided to wait until we got home. And then I wanted to give it to you last night by the Christmas tree, but we got naked instead.”
“Naked!” Izzy yells. “Naked, naked, naked.”
Dammit.
“Brady Shepherd.” Kat folds her arms. “You are a naughty boy.”
I lean close and whisper into her ear. “I might need to be punished later.”
She gives me a playful smack, and I laugh.
Motioning toward the square box, I tell her to open it.
Slowly, she pulls off the lid, and her face lights with a smile.
“A hummingbird! Brady, I love it.” She leans over to kiss me and then holds out her arm. “Put it on me?”
I clasp the bracelet on her wrist where a little hummingbird dangles between two garnets. They’re birthstones for her January birthday.
“It’s beautiful. I love it." She pauses a moment. “Hey, um, did you open the gift I left you?” she asks, barely above a whisper.
I drag her chair closer and nuzzle against her neck. “I loved it so much, I didn’t think I could survive one more fucking minute without dragging your ass home.” I nip her ear as I lace our fingers together. She looks a little dazed as she smiles up at me. I like knowing I make her just as crazy as she makes me. “By the way, tomorrow night, we’re going out to celebrate your birthday.”
Her grin widens. “How do you know about my birthday?”
“I learned a lot of things from your driver’s license.” Like the fact that her birthday is tomorrow.
“So… we’re going out, out? Like on an actual date?”
“Like an actual date. Seeing how you are my actual girlfriend, I thought it might be nice.”
She bounces in her seat. “Really?”
“Yes, really. I hear there’s a great restaurant in the Tower of Americas in San Antonio. You can see the whole city from up there. I made reservations. Izzy is staying with the Macs, and we can take our time.”
She jumps into my lap, wrapping me in a hug, and I push my nose into her hair.
“Love you, Brady.”
“Love you, too, Kit Kat.” And I plan to show her just how much.
Epilogue
KATHERINE
- Eight months later -
Oh, dear Lord, I’m tired. We harvested the last of our lavender crop today. My hands are sore, my legs ache, and my feet feel like they might fall off, but I’ve never felt more satisfied. Seeing those wheelbarrows full of our first harvest—Brady’s and mine—was amazing.
I’m ready to collapse into bed when two strong arms wrap around me.
“Hmm.” I lean back against Brady. His damp chest fits against my back. “You smell good.”
“Wish we could’ve taken that shower together,” he growls in my ear.
I chuckle. As amazing as it’s been to have my family in town to help with the lavender, it’s definitely put a damper on our sexy times.
“It’s better if my dad doesn’t kill you,” I tease.
Really, my dad loves Brady. He took one look at all of the improvements Brady made on the farm this spring, and I swear he swooned a little. But we do go out of our way to not flaunt our living arrangement in his face.
Brady groans. “Why did we decide to have everyone over tonight?”
“Because my family is heading back to Corpus the day after tomorrow. What time are your parents coming over this evening?”
He pulls out his phone and glances at the time. “Half an hour. Mom said she’s bringing that recipe you asked for.”
“Oh, good.” Turning around, I thread my fingers through his damp hair. “See how nice it is to have them close by?”
He grumbles because they call him every ten minutes, but I know deep down he likes being needed by them.
Turns out they sold their landscaping business to Jose, who had been running it in Brady’s absence. And they realized that if they sold their house in Boston, they could get something much more affordable here. I might have sent them a few property listings. Anyway, they bought a small home two miles away from us and still had plenty left over in savings for their retirement.
I love his parents. Adore them. In fact, his mom was a big advocate of Brady staying here and fighting for our relationship. His dad supported it too, but his mom was the one who told him she’d kick Brady's ass if he let me go.
His parents aren’t the only ones doing better financially. Brady’s situation has turned around too. Fortunately, his roommate in Boston had his girlfriend move in, so Brady was off the hook for the lease.
Once we settled in here after the holidays, he offered me a partnership to help him run the farm, which I gladly accepted, and my first order of business was to expand our bath products. I didn’t have to look that far because Frank, one of our customers at the farmers’ fair, loved my lotions and soaps so much, his company bought the exclusive rights to sell our whole body line. And since Frank and I hit it off so well, he hired me as a part time consultant, which means I can work from home.
So for the first time in ages, the farm is doing really well. Now, Brady only works in Austin when he wants to.
He thought about quitting the parlor, but I know he loves having that creative outlet, so I encouraged him to continue. He works by appointment one or two nights a week, and that gives him time to draw and paint. I love that he’s putting his MFA to good use. In fact, his artwork hangs all over our house, and I’m setting up an online Etsy store so he can sell his art directly to clients.
And I’m happy to say my ex finally got a clue and has left us alone. But Eric’s also been pretty busy lately with that payoff scandal that landed him and his father in some hot water with the feds. Can’t say I’m surprised. Or particularly heartbroken.
“My parents are watching Izzy tonight, right?” Brady murmurs in my ear.
I nod and fight a smile when I feel him harden against my belly. “Babe.”
“What?” He laughs as his hands lower to my ass.
“Seriously. We can’t. People will be here soon.” But oh, God, I want to.
He groans and peels himself off me before he reaches down to adjust himself.
“Later,” I promise, kissing his cheek. “We just have to be quiet.”
Brady scrubs his face. “Fine.” Then he grumbles, “Was it my imagination or did I hear we’re supposed to dress up tonight?”
“Hmm. Yeah, I think our mothers are pretending we’re the Brady Bunch. Heh. Get it? Brady Bunch?” I make a silly face, and he rolls his eyes, a smile ghosting
his lips. “Speaking of getting ready, I need to get dressed, and I won’t if you’re here being all handsy, so scoot.”
“You like when I’m handsy.”
“I love when you’re handsy, just not when I’m getting dressed.”
Laughing, I push him out the door with instructions to change into something more appropriate and then try to entertain my parents. They’ve been staying in my old bedroom for a few nights while we harvest the lavender.
Neither Brady nor I could really deal with sleeping in Mel and Cal’s bedroom, so we converted it into an office, and we turned the old office into our bedroom.
When I exit my room twenty minutes later, I’m glad I took the time to put on makeup. This dress is too pretty to have me looking like a haggard mess. My sister and I were out shopping last week, and she talked me into getting it. Of course her prompting is the only reason I’d be fool enough to get a white sundress. I’m sure Izzy will get her handprints all over it in five minutes.
When I step out into the living room, my dad wraps me in a big hug.
“Mija, you look beautiful.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
Then my mom, who I swear was wiping her eyes a second ago, gives me a hug. What in the world? Is this because she’s happy I’m finally wearing a dress?
“Tori is setting the picnic table out back,” my mom says, sniffling.
I swear she’s going through menopause.
We head outside where we have a picnic table set up under the shade of the big oak tree. Brady’s parents, my sister, and the Macs are already back here. My parents follow behind us with an armload of casseroles.
Izzy jumps out of Tori’s arms and comes tearing across the yard toward us in a little red tutu and Boston Red Sox t-shirt. “Daddy! Daddy! Upsies! Upsies!” She lifts her hand to Brady, wanting him to pick her up.
He adopted her in late January. Watching how wonderful he is with her, how much he adores her, makes my heart feel like it's going to burst.
Brady’s explained to Izzy that he’s her uncle because he’s afraid to take that away from Cal, but she insists on calling him daddy. Of course, he realizes she doesn’t understand right now, but he doesn’t want her to wake up one day and be shocked by something she could just know all along.
I tell her she has two daddies, and they both love her with all of their hearts.
Brady scoops her up and bounces her in his arms before whispering something in her ear that makes her giggle. She looks over to me, and he nods.
“Swing? Pweese?” she asks me with the sweetest expression on her face.
“Sure, darlin’.” Here come the smudges, I laugh to myself.
I take her from Brady’s arms, pausing to kiss his cheek. Then I go to put her on the swing when he stops me. “Why don’t you put her on your lap, and I’ll push the two of you?”
“Okay.” I grin back at him.
Man, he looks so handsome this evening in a pair of dark jeans and a green polo that stretches across his broad shoulders.
I swallow the sudden lump in my throat when I see how he’s looking at me. Like we’re the only two people who exist.
His eyes travel down my face, over my bare shoulders and past the fitted white halter top before swinging back up again. A slow smile lifts his lips, and I shiver under his gaze.
I hear the words without him speaking. I love you.
An effervescent feeling that I can only describe as utter happiness rushes over me as I hug Izzy to my chest.
He stands there, watching us, a wide smile on his face.
I sit on the swing with Izzy, and Brady leans one arm on the chain of the swing.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he whispers, brushing my hair back. “But then you always look beautiful.”
Leaning back, I smile at him, my heart so full of love for this man.
I expect him to go behind us to push the swing. But instead—ay Dios mío—he gets down on one knee.
And then he takes out a little box.
Oh my God!
My mouth drops open, and I look around and realize everyone is taking pictures of us.
“Brady.” I’m trembling from head to toe.
“I love you, Katherine. More than I ever thought was possible to love someone. Say yes. Be my wife. Be Izzy’s mom. Let us love you forever.”
I don’t even have to think about my answer.
I'm nodding as Izzy and I go crashing into him. He catches us with a grunt and a laugh, barely keeping us upright when the baby and I squish him in a hug.
Hands reach down, and I realize Tori is scooping up Izzy. She gives me a wink and steps back with the baby in her arms.
My eyes cut back to Brady. “Yes, yes!” I laugh before kissing him again. In front of everyone.
Yes, I kiss him shamelessly. Because I love this man, and I want everyone to know it.
Our families start clapping behind us, and then finally my sister yells, “Get a room for the porno. I’m hungry.”
My fiancé laughs, and we stand up and hug our parents. My heart swells as I take a mental snapshot of our big, loud Texas family.
I don’t know how this all happened. I don’t know what I did to deserve such an amazing man or such a wonderful family. But if Cal and Mel taught me anything, it was to cherish every moment I have with them.
And I plan to. Each and every day for the rest of my life.
To My Readers
Thank you for reading Shameless! I’d love to hear what you thought and hope you’ll consider leaving a quick review on Amazon and Goodreads.
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If Dani’s story piqued your interest, keep flipping for an excerpt of Finding Dandelion, which is FREE on Amazon KU for a limited time as part of the The Dearest Series Boxed Set.
Finding Dandelion Synopsis
When soccer all-star Jax Avery collides with Dani Hart on his twenty-first birthday, their connection is instantaneous and explosive. For the first time in years, Jax isn’t interested in his usual hit-it and quit-it approach.
But Dani knows better. Allowing herself a night to be carefree and feel the intensity of their attraction won’t change anything when it comes to dealing with a player. So when Jax doesn’t recognize Dani the next time he sees her, it shouldn’t be a total shock. The fact that he’s her new roommate's brother? That’s a shock.
Dani doesn’t regret that night with Jax, just the need to lie about it. Since her roommate has made it clear what she thinks about her brother’s “type” of girl, the last thing Dani wants is to admit what happened.
Jax knows he’s walking a fine line on the soccer team. One more misstep and he’s off the roster, his plans to go pro be damned. Except he can’t seem to care. About anything… except for the one girl who keeps invading his dreams.
Despite Jax’s fuzzy memory of his hot hookup with his sister’s friend, he can’t stay away from her, even if that means breaking his own rules. But there are bigger forces at work–realities that can end Dani’s college career and lies that can tear them apart.
Jax realizes what he’s losing if Dani walks away, but will he sacrifice his future to be with her? And will she let him if he does?
Finding Dandelion, the second book in the Dearest series, can be read a standalone novel. This new adult romance is recommended for readers 18+ due to mature content.
Purchase Finding Dandelion on AMAZON or read it in The Dearest Series Boxed Set, which is FREE on Amazon KU for a limited time.
Finding Dandelion Excerpt
Prologue
- DANI -
Goosebumps line my skin as Travis threads his fingers through mine. Closing my eyes, I brace myself.
“You sure you want to do this, Dani?” He sounds nervous even tho
ugh he’s the one who sold me on the idea in the first place. “It’s going to hurt. A lot.”
Brady laughs. “Man, don’t scare her.”
Brady is hot, all ridges and taut muscles and menacing tattoos, and I know he’s staring down at my naked back right now. He’s so out of my league.
Of course this is the only way I’d get a guy like that to touch me.
Swallowing, I nod and clutch my shirt to my chest. “Let’s do this. I’m not chickening out.”
I’ve done my homework, researched optimal positioning, pain, methods, everything. Now I just have to take the plunge. This is going to be my year of firsts.
“That a girl. I promise I’ll be gentle.” Brady moves away from me, and the buzzing starts and stops.
Travis’s grip tightens as he leans down and whispers, “If your mother knew you were doing this, she’d kill me.”
I yank my hand from his and swat my best friend. “What’s the matter with you? Now is not the time to talk about my mother.”
A black gloved hand runs across my shoulder as Brady lowers the strap on my lacy, black bra. Hell, yes, I wore my sexy underwear.
He lowers his voice. “This is going to be cold.”
All of my muscles tense, and he chuckles.
“Honey, relax. This isn’t my first time.” Brady’s voice is sultry and deep, sending chills across me. He rubs my skin slowly, the smell of alcohol thick in the air. “I’ll take good care of you. What’s in your head is worse than the reality. Trust me. It’ll hurt at first, but you’ll get used to it, and you’ll only be sore for a couple of days.”
Shit. I’m really going through with this.
I glance over my shoulder and look him in the eye.
Brady smiles, and butterflies swirl in my stomach. He presses a finger into my trapezius muscle. “Right here?”
Nodding, I close my eyes and rest my chin on the back of the chair.