by C. C. Wood
“I know,” Jordan sighed. “It might complicate things, though.”
“Yeah, if they get married, we’ll be related,” I pointed out.
“Please shut up,” he groaned, rubbing his temples. “I don’t want to think about that right now.”
“I wonder if that will make our marriage incestuous,” I mused.
Jordan made a growling noise in the back of his throat before he grabbed me and kissed me hard and deep. “Be quiet.”
I laughed, patting his shoulder. “It’s okay, honey. We aren’t related by blood so it won’t be as frowned upon.”
He kissed me again, long enough to make me forget that I was teasing him. It was so fantastic I decided to poke at him about his aunt and my dad as often as I could if this was my punishment.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Six Months Later
As I stepped back from my lunge into plank position, I let out a long breath and a stream of curses. “That stupid piece of shit couldn’t find his own pecker with a magnifying glass and a map. Fucking dickfaced turd bird.”
I pulled in a slow, deep breath and lowered my body to the floor as I released it. I followed the pattern of poses in Sun Salutations, focusing on my breathing until I was in downward facing dog pose. Then I let it rip.
“I can’t believe that fuckwad tried to get me fired when he’s the one who’s incompetent.”
I finished up the series of poses and lay on the floor in Shavasana, trying to relax. My day had been trying, to say the least. A junior partner in the firm had fucked up big time then he made it even worse by trying to pass the buck to me since we were working together. I managed to hold my temper during the meeting with Marie Cairns but I really wanted to stab him in his smug face with my stiletto.
I left work early since Lucy’s rehearsal dinner was that evening and hoped that yoga would help me let go of the troubles of my day. His poor attempt to take the heat off his mistakes and pin the blame on me wouldn’t come to anything. Marie promised me as much.
The last thing I needed was to be pissed off and stressed out during Lucy’s rehearsal dinner tonight and her wedding tomorrow.
“Feel better?” Jordan asked.
I cracked an eye open and looked toward the door to see my husband leaning against the doorjamb with his arms crossed. When Jordan and I got married last month, I’d moved into his house and immediately begun making it my own. I assumed I would drive him crazy with my pickiness and details, but he seemed to enjoy the process of buying furniture and making each room special and homey.
His house was huge, with four bedrooms, two living areas, and a study large enough for us to put two desks inside so we could both use it as a home office. It was too much house for only two people, but that would change soon.
In the fourth bedroom, I’d set up a makeshift home gym with yoga mats, an elliptical machine, and free weights. After particularly long or difficult days, I often came in here and went through my ritual of practicing yoga while expressing all the things I’d been forced to hold back during the day.
I had the temper to match my red hair but years of practice had made it easier for me to hold my tongue when people pushed me. Still, all that annoyance wasn’t healthy and I needed to release it somehow.
I tried kickboxing before yoga, thinking that an aggressive activity would be the most effective at relieving my stress. It was, but I had a tendency to collect bruises, sore muscles, and even the occasional scrape. Busted knees and a black eye detracted from my professional image, so I’d decided to find another way to work out. Hence my habit of yoga and swearing.
Most yoga teachers would have frowned upon the practice, but it made me feel better and that’s all that mattered to me.
“Yeah, I’m better,” I murmured.
“I’m proud of you for not stomping his balls flat,” Jordan commented, straightening from the door and sauntering over to the weight bench beside me. “The little twat deserved it.”
“Yeah, well Marie is going to keep an eye on him. I doubt he’ll last much longer if he makes another mistake like that one.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “Right now, I need to stop thinking about it or I’ll be in a bad mood for Lucy’s rehearsal dinner.”
“Hmmmm,” Jordan replied.
I opened my eyes again to find him sitting on the weight bench, staring at my barely clad body. “Oh, no. Wipe that look right off your face. It’s going to take me an hour to get ready for this thing and I still have to shower first. There’s no time for the naked mambo.”
“Naked mambo?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Whatever you want to call it, we don’t have time for it.”
“We could shower together,” he suggested, a gleam in his eye. “That’ll save time and water.”
I rolled to my feet and moved away from him. “I don’t think so.” Then I squeaked when his arms came around my waist from behind and he started guiding me toward our bedroom. “Jordan, I swear to God, if you make us late…”
“I’ll be quick, I promise.”
“You’d better not be too quick,” I grumbled, which made him laugh against the nape of my neck. The warmth of his mouth on my skin and the vibrations of his laughter made a shiver shoot through me, moving straight down my spine to between my legs. “Okay,” I relented. “But I’m telling Lucy it’s your fault if we’re late.”
We made it to the rehearsal just in time. Though Chris and Lucy were having a small wedding, Lucy insisted that Yancy, Grier, Chelsea, and I were in her wedding party. Chris had three groomsmen. Landen Weber was Chris’ friend from college, Charles Faulkner was Yancy’s boyfriend, and surprisingly he had asked Marcus Flynn, an old friend of Lucy’s. Considering Marcus once had a thing for Lucy, I couldn’t believe Chris had done it.
Until I saw the way Grier looked at Marcus when he wasn’t paying attention. And the way Marcus looked at Grier.
Chris wasn’t the one who’d arranged that. It was Lucy all the way.
The rehearsal went smoothly and was mercifully quick, then we all made our way to the restaurant for dinner. Lucy and Chris had reserved the patio of a fantastic French restaurant. In the early fall, evenings were perfect for alfresco dining. The temperature might be in the eighties during the day but fell into the seventies after dark.
After we all enjoyed a delicious meal, the men ended up on one end of the table and the girls on the other. We were all chatting when the server returned to the table with a bottle of champagne and five glasses.
“Ladies, I want to make a toast,” Lucy stated, taking the glasses from the waiter as he filled them. When we each had a glass, she continued, “You’ve all been my best friends over the last few years and I love you so much. I don’t know where I would be without you, but I’m certain I would be poorer for it. So, I’d like for us to make a promise to each other that we will always be in each other’s lives, even if we move away, get married, or have tons of babies.” At Yancy’s droll look, she rolled her eyes. “Okay, a couple of babies.” She lifted her glass. “To best friends.”
We all clinked glasses and everyone took a sip. Except me.
Of course, Lucy immediately noticed. “You have to drink after a toast, Tanya.” She frowned at me. “It’s bad luck if you don’t.”
“I can’t drink,” I replied, certain she made up the part about drinking after a toast. I handed my glass to Chelsea. “Will you drink it for me?”
“Why can’t you drink?” Lucy asked, her eyes narrowing.
“Oh. My. God,” Yancy whispered. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you?”
“You’re pregnant?” Chelsea squealed, clapping her hands.
I glanced over to find all the men looking at us, including my husband, who looked absolutely delighted that the cat was out of the bag. I’d made him promise not to tell anyone because I wasn’t very far along.
“How far along are you?” Yancy asked.
“About nine weeks,” I replied. �
��That’s why I hadn’t told anyone yet.”
Yancy understood my unspoken meaning and reached out and took my hand.
“Congratulations, Tanya,” Grier chimed in, getting up from her chair and coming over to hug me. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Group hug!” Chelsea announced, moving in.
All the girls crowded around me, giving me hugs and chattering excitedly. I glanced over at Jordan to find all the men shaking his hand and patting him on the back as they congratulated him as well.
When the excitement finally died down, I wandered over to Jordan and wrapped my arms around his waist.
“You were dying to tell someone, weren’t you?” I asked.
“Guilty,” he admitted.
“Well, we can tell Joyce and Dad when we see them next Thursday.”
My father was still dating Jordan’s aunt and things were getting serious. She had started coming to Thursday dinners a few months ago and though Dad hadn’t mentioned it, I knew she was spending the night after Jordan and I left. Whenever I wanted to get Jordan riled up, I mentioned that his aunt was shacking up with my dad. I was pretty sure it was after one of those teasing moments that Jordan got me pregnant. Good times.
“We can wait if you want,” he replied, his hand running up and down my bare arm. “I know you preferred to keep it to ourselves until you were past the twelve-week mark.”
“No, let’s tell them. The doctor said everything looks fine. Besides, it’ll keep Joyce from wracking her brain to come up with subtle hints that she wants grandbabies.”
Jordan chuckled. Almost as soon as we got married, Joyce began hinting how wonderful it would be to have a granddaughter to take shopping or a grandson to take to the zoo. My father looked horrified at the idea at first, but soon warmed to the topic.
I had a feeling my sister, Tessa, would find a reason to move back to Texas when she found out about the baby.
“This was the best night,” I said dreamily, cuddling closer to Jordan. I tended to get sleepy earlier than usual now that I was pregnant. By nine-thirty, I was usually ready for bed. “But tomorrow will be better.”
“Hmmm,” Jordan hummed, stroking my arm with his hand as he pulled me closer.
“You don’t agree?” I asked, lifting my head from his shoulder to look at him.
“I think any night with you is perfect.”
I hugged him tighter. “I’ll remind you of that when I kick you out of bed to change diapers in a few months.”
He grinned at me, leaning forward to rub the tip of his nose against mine before he kissed me lightly. “I won’t mind.”
I knew he wouldn’t. After so many years with only his aunt, now Jordan would have the family he always wanted and so would I.
Leaning my head against his shoulder, I watched my friends sitting at the table, talking to each other, and I realized that my dad was right all those months ago.
Love was always worth the risk.
~The End~
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Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to thank those of you who read and share my books. You make it possible for me to do what I love—tell the stories that exist in my head. I hope you enjoyed Tanya and Jordan’s story as much as I did.
I also need to thank my beta readers for this book, Catherine and Michele. You are both a huge help to me when I’m writing and I appreciate all your feedback.
Also a big smooch for Terrie and Marie. You know what you did and you’ll be punished for it later.
Tania, thank you for editing my books and helping me make them shine. Your comments, both the smart-ass and the complimentary, make my work better.
Jena, you bring my covers and teasers to life and make it look easy. Thank you for all your hard work and not losing your temper when I ask you to change things or add more of this or that. You always do a fantastic job of taking my notes and thoughts and making them into something beautiful. Now, move to Texas so I can see your face more often!
I also have to thank my Facebook group, CC’s Sinners. You guys make me laugh and keep me going, even when I’m feeling frustrated and inadequate. You are the best!
Finally, I want to recognize all the bloggers who helped me spread the word about this book. Thank you to: Sunshine Reads, Books 2 Blog, 6 Feet Under Books, TBR Book Blog, Living a Balanced Life in Texas, Bookgasms Book Blog, Lady Heather’s Reviews, Kylie’s Bookapalooza, Twinsie Talk, The Literary Gossip, Becca the Bibliophile, Bookish Things & More, Book Crazy Gals, Red Cheeks Reads, My Book Obsession, Besties & Books, The Indie Bookshelf, Mean Girls Luv Books, Wild Wordy Women, Just a Thought Book Blog, Glass Paper Ink, Printed Pleasures Book Blog, Shelly’s Book Corner, Sassy Girl Books, Scandalicious Book Reviews, and Natalie the Biblioholic. I appreciate everything you do and all the hard work you put into sharing books with readers.
All my love,
C.C.
About C.C.
Born and raised in Texas, C.C. Wood writes saucy paranormal and contemporary romances featuring strong, sassy women and the men that love them. If you ever meet C.C. in person, keep in mind that many of her characters are based on people she knows, so anything you say or do is likely to end up in a book one day.
A self-professed hermit, C.C. loves to stay home, where she reads, writes, cooks, and watches TV. She can usually be found drinking coffee or wine as she spends time with her hubby, daughter, and two beagles.
Titles by C.C. Wood
Novellas:
Girl Next Door Series:
Friends with Benefits
Frenemies
Drive Me Crazy
Girl Next Door-The Complete Series
Kiss Series:
A Kiss for Christmas
Kiss Me
Novels:
Seasons of Sorrow
NSFW Series:
In Love With Lucy
Earning Yancy
Tempting Tanya
Westfall Brothers Series:
Texas with a Twist
Wicked Games Series:
All or Nothing
Paranormal Romance:
Bitten Series:
Bite Me
Once Bitten, Twice Shy
Bewitched, Bothered, and Bitten
One Little Bite
Love Bites
Bite the Bullet
Destined by Blood
Cozy Paranormal:
The Wraith Files:
Don’t Wake the Dead
The Dead Come Calling