by Kelsie Rae
“Then I guess I’ll pack my bags. Nora is lucky to have you, you know.”
I wave her off. “Nah, I’m the lucky one to have her. And you should be grateful she trained me to bring in coffee whenever I stop by her office. Is she still getting ready?”
“Yup. The makeup artist is finishing up with her. Then you guys should be all set for the interview.”
“Sounds good. Will Conner and Gem be joining us too?”
Conner and Gem didn’t work out romantically, but they did become great friends. The reporter is planning to spin their relationship as a plan B for anyone who decides to purchase tickets to the second annual Written in the Stars Singles’ Cruise. Nora and I…well, we’re plan A. Find the love of your life, whether you’re actively looking or they fall into your lap.
Nora and I have been dating for a year now, and I can honestly say I’ve never been happier. I just hope she feels the same way.
“Yo! Gage! Get your butt in here!” Gem shouts down the hall.
Rolling my eyes, I wave to Bertie. “See ya later.”
“Good luck!” she returns before taking a sip of coffee.
The glass doors to the conference room give me a perfect view of Gem and Conner, who look like they’re about to get started with their portion of the interview. Raising her pointer finger, she tells the interviewer to give her a second, then steps into the hall where I’m still standing.
“Nora is in her office. They decided to set up the makeup station there.”
“Bertie told me.”
Releasing a deep breath, she nods. “Okay, good. Are you ready?”
I pat my front pocket. “Yeah. Do you think she’s going to be mad at me for putting her on the spot in front of a cameraman?”
“Meh. She’ll be fine. Besides, I had to run it past Jess who thinks it’s going to be the best free advertising that Polished––and the cruise––has ever seen.”
Dropping my voice low, I whisper-shout, “You told Jess too?”
“Dude. I had to. She’s my boss. But I promise she didn’t say a word to anyone else, and neither have I. You got this.”
I squeeze the back of my neck before muttering, “Yeah, yeah. I’m going to go find Nora. Good luck with the interview.”
“You too.” She gives me a quick wink, then saunters back into the conference room while I head a little further down the hall to find my future wife.
If she’ll have me.
Nora
“Alright, you’re done. What do you think?” the makeup artist asks while inspecting her handiwork.
Raising a hand mirror a foot away from my face, I do a quick scan before grinning. “Looks great! Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now, where’s your boyfriend? It’s his turn.”
“He texted a few minutes ago and said he was on his way. He should be here any––”
“Hey, Pretty Girl,” Gage’s deep voice greets me as his dark brown loafers carry him closer.
With a quick kiss on my cheek, he compliments, “You look gorgeous.”
“Why, thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
The guy is rocking a gray sports jacket with a freshly trimmed beard and his curly brown hair styled to perfection.
Why, hello, James Dean look-alike.
He smirks. “I can read you like a book, Nora. Might wanna save the dirty thoughts until we get home.”
Gasping, I smack him on the chest. “Cocky much?”
“Only with you.”
I shake my head. “Uh-huh. Sure. This is Becca, by the way. She’ll have the difficult task of wiping that smug expression off your face so that you look presentable for the interview.”
“Honey,” Becca interjects, “If you want a bunch of attractive young ladies to buy tickets for the singles’ cruise, then I’d keep the cocky look. Girls are a sucker for a bad boy they can tame.”
“Well, obviously, I failed at the taming part,” I quip, “or you wouldn’t have been able to figure out his game so quickly.”
Laughing, Gage raises his hands in surrender before sitting down on a stool beside me. “Ya know, I’m right here, ladies. I can hear you.”
“Which is why your cocky is still showing,” I tease.
“I like that you’ve turned an adjective into a noun.”
“Only with you. Thanks for bringing Bertie a coffee. She’s having more man trouble.”
“I told her to come on the cruise. You could hook her up with the bartender you were flirting shamelessly with when I ran into you.”
“You remember that guy?” I ask, unable to hide my surprise.
“Hell, yes, I do. He was all over you. Creating special drinks. Letting you sit at his bar. All of it. Disgusting. Oh, I told her it was your idea to set them up, so…yeah.”
With a giant grin, I lean forward and plant a quick, over-the-top kiss to his cheek that leaves a stain of lipstick in its tracks.
“Now, now, Nora. I did not paint that masterpiece on your face for the past thirty minutes only for you to ruin it by sneaking away to the nearest closet with your boy. Keep it in your pants.”
Cheeks heating, I cover my face with my hands, but I am careful not to mess up Becca’s hard work.
“But can you blame her, Becca?” Gage razzes beside me. “I mean, it’s hard to turn down a face like this.”
Thankfully, Becca knows how to dish it right back at him. “Aaand, there’s the cocky Nora was talking about.”
Gage doesn’t bother to deny it because, well…he’s him, but I’m saved from any more banter when Jess’s head pops through the doorway. “Alright, you two, we’re ready for ya.”
“Perfect timing. Gage is officially done,” Becca answers. “Good luck! Can’t wait to see your interview on the air.”
“Me too.”
Once they’ve gotten us hooked up with baby microphones, we sit down in a pair of cushy armchairs, and Gage reaches for my hand. His gesture warms my heart, and I catch myself staring at him with a dopey grin on my face.
“What are you looking at?” he asks, amused.
“Just you.”
Stepping in front of us, the interviewer shakes our hands then sits down on another chair that’s exactly like ours, but it’s angled a bit to face us more head-on.
“Alright, guys. I’m Jeff. Gem and Conner were great and already gave us a rundown of what to expect on the ship. We even showcased a few pictures of you guys swimming with dolphins.”
“Aww,” I gush, squeezing Gage’s bicep. “I miss JoJo!”
“With how big your grins were in the picture, I’m surprised you didn’t bring her home with you.”
“Unfortunately, our apartment doesn’t allow pets,” Gage interjects. “Maybe when we buy our own place.”
Grinning, Jeff takes a seat across from us. “Now that would be a story I’d like to cover. For today, though, we kind of just want to focus on you two. How you met. What your future looks like together. You get the idea. You ready?”
My palms are sweaty, but instead of teasing me about it, Gage squeezes my hand. “Yeah. We’re ready whenever you are.”
“Perfect. Let’s dive right in.” Tuning to the man holding the giant camera, he says, “Hey, Joe, are we rolling?”
“Yeah,” the cameraman grunts. “We’re good to go in three. Two. One.” He points his sausage finger at us. Then Jeff dives right in.
“Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I am Jeff Ericson with CNTZ. Today we’re going to be diving into the Written in the Stars Singles’ Cruise and why it’s seen more success in one year than the top five dating sites combined. Here’s an up-close look at one of those success stories. This is Gage and Nora. Would you like to tell us how you two met?”
I look over at Gage and shrug one shoulder. “Well, it’s actually a funny story. We didn’t meet on the cruise.”
“What?” Jeff asks, playing the part of an intrigued interviewer like a champ.
Pulling our entwined hands into his lap, Gage explains, “Yeah.
We met at a college football game right before. What was it, a month or so?”
“Yeah. Around a month or so, I think? We had seats next to each other, and he proposed.”
“Did he now?” Jeff gushes. “He proposed the first time you met?”
“He did. Obviously, he wasn’t serious. He wanted to toy with the crowd––and me,” I add with a grin. “But it definitely made a lasting impression. I can tell you that much.”
“So, you’re not engaged?”
I turn to Gage. “Nope. But we’re so blissfully happy that we wouldn’t change a thing, and we have the cruise to thank for that. Without the incredible workshops, and the amazing community and activities, I don’t think either of us would’ve been willing to take the plunge into a relationship.”
Gage waits for me to finish before interrupting, “Can I interject?”
I nod. “Of course.”
“First, the cruise is amazing, and if you’re single or are looking for a great couple’s vacation where you and your partner can reconnect, go buy tickets. Right now. Just do it. I promise it’s worth it. Second”––he gives me a pointed look––“you said we wouldn’t change a thing.”
Confused, I try to recount the conversation before shaking my head. “I’m sorry, what?”
“You said we’re blissfully happy and that we wouldn’t change a thing.”
“Oookay…?” I drag out the word before turning in my chair to face him fully. “Are you not blissfully happy?”
“Of course, I am.”
“But you would like to change something?”
“Why, yes. Yes, I would.”
My gaze darts to the interviewer, who’s just as lost as I am. “Umm…what would you like to change? And should we maybe have waited to talk about this when we weren’t in the middle of an interview that will be airing on national television?” I add, chuckling awkwardly.
“See, that’s the thing. I look back on our initial proposal, and I gotta say, I’m kind of a badass.”
The cameraman laughs before receiving a glare from Jeff.
“Sorry, we can’t allow cursing during this interview.”
“My apologies,” Gage replies, though his face is still as arrogant as ever.
Yeah, he’s not sorry.
“But seriously, how am I supposed to top a proposal on the jumbotron in front of thousands of people?”
“You can’t?” I offer as he lets go of my hand.
While shuffling through his jacket pocket, he counters, “And that’s where you’re wrong, babe.”
“Oh, am I?”
“Yes.” My jaw drops to the ground while my heart jumps into my throat as Gage slides onto one knee in front of me. His confidence is hot as hell, but it’s the adoration shining in his eyes that really does me in. Lifting the lid on a little black velvet box, he takes a deep breath. “Nora Jessica Daniels. I love you. I love your laugh. I love your tears. I love that your family calls you Mama Two because you love to take care of people, and you love bossing them around.” I laugh as the tears start to fall. “I love your heart. I love your sexy body. I love how your hair is a mess every morning when you wake up. But above all, I love the brownies that we’ve made together. I love the moments we’ve shared, and I want to spend the rest of my life making more of them with you. Will you marry me?”
I can feel how red my face is, and I know that Becca is going to kill me for ruining all the hard work she put into my makeup as the tears stream down my face in happy little rivulets. But none of it matters anymore because I get to marry my best friend. The drunk stranger who proposed to me. The fake boyfriend to get my friend off my back. The arrogant Leo who stole my heart. The man who makes the best brownies.
“You gotta answer me, babe,” Gage prods with a teasing smirk.
With my hand over my mouth and stupid tears of joy dripping off my chin, I nod.
“Say it, Nora. Say you’re mine.”
“I’m yours. I love you. Yes. I will so marry you!”
Jumping to his feet, Gage kisses me while my entire office watches through the clear glass walls. Their cheering cuts the interview a little short, but I don’t really care.
Because I have him, and whether we wanted to in the beginning or not, we’re drowning in love.
The End
Sneak Peek of Fearless to Love
Chapter 1
Dante
I had to get away. Ever since my business partner fucked me over, I’d been running myself ragged, trying to save Flux, and in turn, had spent every waking hour there. I was understaffed and if I didn’t get things under control soon, I was sure to lose my business. My sister had been trying to help me, but this wasn’t her expertise. She was more into spending money than making money.
When I glanced at the clock, it read a little past ten. Gathering my things, I headed out the back door to my parked Range Rover, but I didn’t want to go home yet. My place, although nice, was lonely. Instead, I decided to go for a drive, not caring where the road took me. Half an hour later, I found myself entering a small neighboring town, Fairlane, with a bar on the corner of the street. It was small but packed. The bright friendly sign read, Rocco’s, and I decided to check it out. What did I have to lose?
The moment I opened my car door, I heard loud music and laughter, along with people cheering. As I got closer to the door, Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard blasted out of the cracks of the door and windows. When I stepped inside, my eyes instantly went to three girls, two blondes and a brunette, dancing on top of the bar. Their dance looked choreographed and straight out of the movie Coyote Ugly. They were each dressed in the same tight white t-shirts with a red Rocco’s logo, black short-shorts, and cowboy boots, shaking their asses and gyrating their hips, all while singing. They looked like they were having the time of their lives.
When was the last time I had any fun?
My breath caught when my eyes met the brunette’s. She was absolutely beautiful. Her caramel colored hair was long, trailing down her back in waves, but it was her grey eyes that captivated me. They were the color of a storm ready to unleash its rain. I felt as if all my breath had been sucked out of me as I stood and watched her dance along the bar. The curve of her hips and her long shapely legs moved with ease. I couldn’t seem to move from my spot even when people bumped into me as they rushed to the bar and threw down their money. I was transfixed like she was my own personal siren, powerless as I stood there taking in the show.
When she turned and moved to the beat of the song with perfection, I nearly drooled at the sight of her ass in her short shorts. My jeans became tighter as I watched her rhythmic movement. As the song neared its end, the girls headed to the end of the bar where a short man with shaggy brown hair waited for them to finish before helping them down.
The crowd thinned out enough for me to make it to the bar where I could see the three women standing together and laughing. While I waited to order a beer, I tried to make it not appear as if I was staring at her, but who was I kidding? I was totally staring at her. I probably looked like a stalker.
“That was so much fun,” one of the blondes yelled over the new song playing. “I love it when Lily shows up and we get to do this.”
The man laughed, throwing his arm around her. “Anytime you want to strut your stuff for the customers, you’ve got my permission. We probably made more during that one song than we will all night. Why don’t you girls take your break? I think I can handle the chaos for a few minutes on my own.”
“Thanks, Rocco. Give me a minute; let me see what this handsome man wants to drink.” Turning my head to the voice, my siren was now standing right in front of me with a bright smile on her gorgeous face. “What can I get for you?”
For the first time in my life, I was tongue-tied. No words escaped me as I opened and closed my mouth.
“You’re not from around here, are you? If so, I’m sure I would have noticed.” She winked, leaning on an elbow.
Her words spurred me on. �
��No, I’m not from around here. I moved to Riverside a few years ago, but I’ve never been to your little town.”
“What can I get for you before I go on break?” She peered up at me from underneath her impossibly long eyelashes.
Emboldened, I stood straighter. “I’ll have whatever you’ve got on tap, and your name and number.”
Biting her bottom lip, which caused my dick to swell even further beneath the denim of my tight jeans, she looked down blushing. “Anything on draft?” she asked, still looking down.
“Whatever you think is good.” I hated I’d made her uncomfortable. I was afraid I’d come on too strong and ruined my chance. Normally, I didn’t have this problem with women.
When she came back with my beer, she had a shy smile on her face. “I’m Lily, and I’m not sure it’s very smart of me to give a complete stranger my phone number...”
I cut her off. “I understand and I’m sorry for coming on so strong. Why don’t you get to know me during your break? We can find a place to sit where everyone can see you and I can prove that I’m not a stalker.” She hesitated; her eyes darted around the crowded bar. Reaching over the bar, I introduced myself. “I’m Dante. Please give me a chance to win you over. I promise you won’t regret it.”
When she placed her tiny hand in mine, I closed my eyes at the unexplained warmth that filled me. A strong sense of never wanting to let her go hit me. I was normally a fuck’em and leave them kind of guy. They knew what they were getting into before the fact, but with this beautiful creature’s hand in mine, I was seeing visions of forever.
What the hell was wrong with me?
“Alright, don’t make me regret this, Dante.” She moved around the bar and came to stand in front of me. She was tiny compared to my six-four frame. The top of her head barely came up to my chest giving me an intense urge to protect her.
Seriously, what was going on with me?
I let her lead us to a booth to show she was in control. I was trying to win her over. Something I’d never done before.