Angels & Whiskey

by Kimberly Knight

  “You’re not supposed to lift heavy stuff.” She nudged her shoulder into mine.

  “Thank you.” I smiled.

  I knew I had to tell Gabe I was pregnant. I just didn’t know if it should be on the anniversary of Alyssa’s death. While he drank his coffee before everyone got to the house, he was quiet, but when I realized what day it was, I didn’t question it.

  “Holy crap, I’m exhausted,” I said, falling onto the couch on my back. Everyone had just left and Gabe and I were officially moved into our own home.

  Gabe walked over and leaned over me with his arms on either side of my shoulders. “How are you exhausted, angel? You and Brandi watched all day.”

  I laughed. “It’s hard work watching my man all day.”

  He kissed my nose. “We just have to do one more thing before we shower and call it a night.”

  I furrowed my eyebrows. “What do we have to do?”

  “Come on, you’ll see.” He stood, reaching out his hand to help me stand. “We haven’t seen the backyard at night yet.”

  I grabbed his hand to stand. “We have forever to see the backyard at night.”

  “That’s true, but I want to see it on the night we moved in.”

  “Whatever you say, Mr. Green Eyes.”

  I laughed slightly as he guided me toward the French doors that led to our backyard. When we got outside and I turned my head, I gasped. “How?”

  “We have the best friends.”

  “But—”

  The pool was lit by a pool light and what appeared to be fifty candles flickering as they floated in the water.

  He led me closer. “I wanted this night to be special, so I asked our friends to help me out. Brandi distracted you while the guys and I lit all the candles.”

  He dropped to one knee and my hands covered my mouth as I was left speechless.

  “For the past six years, March ninth has been a terrible day for me. It reminded me of what I lost, but when I woke up this morning, I knew what I wanted to gain.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box. “I’ve had this ring for weeks now. There have been so many days that I’ve wanted to ask you, but none felt right. Until now. March ninth may be the day I lost my first love, but I also want it to be the day my last love told me yes. Angel, will you marry me?”

  “Yes! Of course I will.” I stuck out my hand and he slipped the round, solitaire diamond onto my left hand.

  He stood and pressed his lips to mine. His tongue slid across my bottom lip and my mouth parted, wanting to taste him. After a few moments, we broke apart.

  “I love you, angel.”

  “I love you too, Mr. Green Eyes.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest. “I have something to tell you though.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  I pulled my head back, my arms still wrapped around him. Peering into his eyes, I told him, “I’m pregnant.”

  He blinked and then his eyes got big. “You’re … We’re having a baby?”

  I nodded.

  “I’m … Damn, I’m speechless. You have no idea how happy I am.”

  “Good.” I smiled. “I was surprised since I was still on the pill, but things happen for a reason right?”

  “They sure do, angel.” He pulled my head to him so it was resting on his chest again. “They sure do.”

  The End.

  **Don’t miss your chance for a sneak peeks of Kimberly’s B&S Series and Halo Series. Also, you will find a sneak peek of Say Anything by Audrey Harte.

  This story is part of her Love in NYC series that will be releasing soon.

  You won’t want to miss it!**

  Books by Kimberly Knight

  Where I Need to Be (B&S Series, #1)

  Finding Spencer (B&S Series, #1.5)

  Wanted (B&S Series, #2)

  Wanting Spencer (B&S Series, #2.5)

  Anything Like Me (B&S Series, #3)

  Forever Spencer (B&S Series, #3.5)

  Perfect Fit –The B&S Series Box Set (Books 1, 2 & 3)

  Tattooed Dots (The Halo Series, #1)

  The One (The Halo Series, #2)

  Never Stop (The Halo Series, #3) Release date: TBD

  My One (The Halo Series, #4) Release date: TBD

  Angels & Whiskey

  Acknowledgments

  First and foremost, I always need to thank my husband. When I wrote Wanted and Anything Like Me, we thought I was going through a lot with my health, but this time around, it was far worse. At first, I wanted to take my time writing Angels & Whiskey to be able to spend more time with you, but then we got the bad news and I had to get as much of it done as fast as I could before my surgeries. Thank you for understanding and for everything you do for me. I really couldn’t have done it without you. I love you, you know?

  To my editor, Jennifer Roberts-Hall. Do you like how I listened to you and in this book had babe lowercased? Even angel was lowercased! One day you’ll be like, “There’s nothing to edit!” and I’ll be like “Damn straight!” Thank you for saving my ass this time around and making sure this baby got the editing it deserved on time. And thank you for understanding that my draft of the end needed to be late because I was physically unable to write/type. I know how busy you are and I appreciate it. Super proud of you and your weight loss. Keep it up, sexy lady.

  Kym Alyssa Cochran. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for answering all my questions regarding the Army. I know I was a pain in the ass, but thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, and sorry for killing off Alyssa.

  Lea Cabalar, my Boo and fellow member of the Cut it Off Crew. Thank you for all of our late night chats, all the memories we made in 2014, and for flying in when I was in the hospital. I love you so, so much for everything you do for me. I can’t wait to make many more lifetime memories with you. I’m sure there are other towns with pregnant strippers.

  Christine Stanley. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have started the Cut it Off Crew. Well, if it wasn’t for Dave, but you know what I mean. Thank you for all the hours you put into contacting bloggers for me, for doing all my release day blitz and everything else that makes you awesome. Oh, and also for listening to me bitch. I can’t wait to make more lifetime memories with you and have more crazy chats about Slip N Slides. I love you, lady.

  To my betas: Alexis Noelle, Brandi Flanagan, Cassie Kirkpatrick, Chauna Carlson, Elizabeth Broadway Lattanzi, Heidi Woodring, Jill the Book Fiend, Kylee Beck, Loralee Bergeson, Michele Hollenbeck, Michele Kubik Follis, Stacy Nickelson, Trina Marie, and Trista Cox Ward. Thank you so much for taking hours out of your day to help me get Angels & Whiskey on the right track. I really couldn’t do it without y’all. If you ever need anything, please let me know.

  To all the bloggers who participated in my cover reveal, release day blitz and review tour, thank you! Without bloggers, I have no idea where I would be. You’ve all taken a chance on me and my books time and time again, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I never thought I would be an author, especially one with a fan base, and I owe a lot to y’all.

  To Eric Battershell and Alfie Gordillo: Holy hotness, Batman! That’s one smokin’ image that’s gracing this cover. Thank you, Eric, for capturing an image that will leave panties wet. Sorry for being crude, but it’s true! Thank you, Alfie, for all the time you put into the gym and eating right to effin’ have abs like you do. The first time I saw you (on your first cover!) I knew I wanted to write a book about you …well, about your cute face and jaw dropping body. *fans self* Two years later and it finally happened.

  Emmy Hamilton, you’re the best proofreader. Thank you for being super-fast at it! I love your eyes and the way you delete words to make me sound more professional. Ha-ha! I’m glad Christine sent you my way and for hounding me to send you more because you love my work.

  To Audrey Harte: Thank you for always being my BFFL. I love you, home slice.

  And finally, thank your readers for believing in me and taking a chance on my books again
and again. Thank you also for understanding about why I had to push the release date. I don’t plan to get anymore tumors! I’ll keep writing, if you keep reading.

  Photographer:

  Eric Battershell

  facebook.com/ericbattershellphotography

  Male Cover Model:

  Alfie Gordillo

  facebook.com/AlfieGabrielGordillo

  About the Author

  Kimberly Knight lives in the mountains near a lake with her loving husband and spoiled cat, Precious. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite reality TV shows, watching the San Francisco Giants and San Jose Sharks kick butt, crushing candy on Candy Crush, playing computer games like World of Warcraft with Audrey Harte and online poker. Now that she lives near a lake, she plans on working on her tan and doing more outdoor stuff like watching hot guys waterski. However, the bulk of her time is dedicated to writing and reading romance and erotic fiction.

  www.authorkimberlyknight.com

  www.facebook.com/AuthorKKnight

  twitter.com/Author_KKnight

  pinterest.com/authorkknight

  Follow her on Instagram: KimBrulee10

  Where I Need to Be

  By Kimberly Knight

  Chapter One

  When life hands you lemons, they say to make lemonade. Well, life just handed me a whole lemon tree. Three weeks ago, I felt like nothing in my life could go wrong. I was in Hawaii with my best friend, Ryan Kennedy, her boyfriend, Max, and who I had thought to be the love of my life, Travis.

  Travis and I met almost two years before at a New Year’s Eve party that Ryan invited me to. Her boyfriend had just made partner at his law firm and threw a huge party at his house to celebrate his promotion and ring in the New Year.

  Travis was an attorney at the firm as well and I would like to say it was love at first sight, but looking back, it was never love. I was instantly attracted to Travis but it had taken us a few dates to actually click. He had short brown hair, green eyes and a sweet, innocent, charming side to him. The side that opened doors for you, pulled out your chair and even cooked and cleaned up after himself. I thought I had met the one. Wrong.

  “All right, Spencer Marshall, it is time to get your ass off the couch and start acting like you have a life again,” Ryan said as she came storming into our house stomping on the hardwood floors with her heels. She stopped walking when she reached the couch I was sitting on—the couch which was starting to grow accustomed to my daily and nightly ritual and had formed the perfect indention of my butt. “You’ve been moping around here for two weeks and I’m no longer going to let my best friend waste her life away over a guy.”

  “Go away!” I shouted at her as I stuffed my face with a spoonful of mint chocolate chip ice cream. “I’m fine.” Ryan was right though, I needed to stop moping. My mom always told me that no man was worth my tears. But in all honesty, after dating someone for almost two years, aren’t you allowed a few tears and some depression after you walk into his office and find him banging his secretary on his desk? I had just wanted to surprise him and take him to lunch. I didn’t realize he had a surprise for me, too.

  “Tomorrow night I’m going to scope out that new gym Club 24 that opened near my office. My boss is writing a story about it and asked me to use the free two-week membership pass we got to do some research and get the low-down so she can use it in her article for the website.”

  I worked as an Executive Assistant to the CEO of a start-up internet company based out of San Francisco called Better Keep Jogging Baby or better known by our website, www.bkjb.com. Our company was dedicated to providing fitness and nutrition information to the world.

  “Spencer, you better or I will kick your ass when you get home and drag you to the gym with me on Tuesday morning.” Ryan and I met our freshman year of college at UC Santa Cruz nine years ago when we were eighteen. Over the years, I’d learned that her threats were really promises. She was not kidding.

  “All right, all right, I’ll go pack my gym bag…after I finish this bowl of ice cream.” Ryan rolled her eyes at me and I stuck my tongue out at her. I appreciated her support and enthusiasm, but I had never been a morning person and I wasn’t about to start now.

  *

  My Monday workday dragged on and on, and all I wanted to do was go home, get in my PJs, and watch The Voice. When five o’clock rolled around, I honestly had half a mind to bypass the gym and do exactly that. I remembered Ryan’s threat, and I sure as shit didn’t want her waking me up at 5:00 a.m. to go to the gym before work. Regardless, it was part of my job, and at least my boss had promised me extra vacation hours for doing this for her.

  All right, time to get this shit over with. Club 24 was an up and coming chain and I needed a new gym anyway. I used to go to the gym with my ex, Travis, or as Ryan liked to call him now, TravAss. I really hoped that I would never have to see him again, so thankfully this gym opened over a month ago and was close to work and home.

  The gym was packed with the usual after-work crowd, but there were two treadmills open next to each other. Claiming one of them for myself, I popped in my iPod ear buds and started to walk briskly for my warm-up. Listening to music while running always seemed to clear my head and right now I needed to let my mind go numb.

  After running for five minutes, I thought I was going to pass out. I envisioned myself rolling off the treadmill as I had seen a few times on The Biggest Loser. That was all I needed with this packed gym. I slowed the treadmill back down to walk for a few minutes to catch my breath. Shortly after that, I noticed that someone had stepped onto the treadmill next to me.

  I glanced to my right and that’s when I noticed him for the first time. Trying not to get caught staring, I eyed him with my peripheral vision. Always a plus to have eye candy when you’re doing something you really don’t want to do. He was about six feet tall, appeared to be around my age of twenty-seven, had chestnut brown hair that was just long enough to have a messy spiky look, and broad shoulders…and oh wow—a smile that made my heart stop.

  Of course, he caught me staring. Shit.

  I reached for my phone and quickly texted Ryan.

  Me: OMFG, I have my very own Gideon Cross at the gym. Hot guy running on the treadmill next to me! :)

  Ryan: Jealous! Don’t tell Max, LOL…I want all the details TONIGHT.

  When I looked into the mirror in front of me, I noticed that my face was bright red. It was either from being exhausted on the treadmill or from being caught checking him out—probably a mixture of the two. After a few minutes of walking, I thought to myself, all right, you can’t let this guy think you’re that out of shape. I sped back up to what I considered an energetic pace and started jogging again.

  It had been at least a month since I had been to the gym. Before I discovered TravAss having a nooner with his secretary, Misty, we were in Hawaii. What a sad cliché, right? Little did I know that when Travis said he was getting texts from work, he really meant texts from Misty about what she couldn’t wait to do to him when he was back home.

  After another twenty minutes of jogging—and a few covert glances to my right—I couldn’t take anymore. I stopped the treadmill and wiped it down. While backing off the treadmill, I peeked at his ass. What a perfect ass…Yep, my endorphins were flowing now. Taking a few steps towards the locker room, I glanced over my right shoulder to find him staring at me. Holy shit. Our eyes met and he gave me that heart-stopping smile he flashed when he first got on the treadmill. More a smirk than a smile, it still made my heart skip a beat.

  *

  Ryan was waiting for me when I walked into our house. “I ordered Chinese. It’ll be here in ten. Go shower and then we can veg and you can tell me all about this hottie.”

  “There isn’t really much to tell.”

  “Anything is better than nothing. I’ve been with Max for three years. I need to live the single life vicariously through you now.”

  “Gee thanks,” I said, and we both giggled.

  Af
ter getting out of the shower, I smelled the aroma of the Chinese takeout Ryan had ordered. Great, I just went to the gym and now I’m going to have a 3000 calorie meal.

  “What’s on the menu tonight?” I asked as I walked into the kitchen and started opening the Chinese take-out boxes on the breakfast bar. Ryan’s parents owned the house and rented it to us. They’d remodeled it for us as a graduation present and the kitchen was one of our favorite rooms. It was spacious and modern with stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops, but its white oak cabinets also gave it a homey feel.

  “Only our favorites—Kung Pao Chicken, Broccoli Beef, Fried Rice and Cream Cheese Wontons.”

  Yep, that was an easy 3000 calories each. I gave an inward sigh.

  “All right, spill,” Ryan demanded as she forked a piece of broccoli and bit into it with a crunch.

  I paused to dip a Cream Cheese Wonton in sweet and sour sauce before stuffing it in my mouth. Savoring the creamy filling with a bit of tangy sweetness, I licked my fingers and sighed in contentment. “Like I said, there isn’t much to say. I went to the gym and there was a total hottie running on the treadmill next to me.”

  “Well, what did he look like?”

  I reached into the cabinet and grabbed a couple of wine glasses for us. Retrieving a bottle of chilled Moscato from the wine fridge, I poured a glass for each of us. I handed one to Ryan, we went to the living room and sat down on the floor by the coffee table. “Well, I’d say he’s about six foot, around our age, with kind of short light brown hair…you know, just how I like them, and a smile…man, that smile makes me melt. I couldn’t stare long enough to get a good look though. I just hope he’s there again tomorrow.”

  Ryan continued to quiz me, but as I had told her repeatedly, I had been at the gym for less than an hour and hadn’t even spoken to him. I had just snuck a few glances here and there. Well, hoped I snuck a few glances; I was caught a few times.