“Just a little while,” he says, his eyes sparkling. “And yes, I showed them. I had to get your father's permission, after all.”
I smile at Dad. “And you’re good with this?”
He shrugs. “I always wanted Nick to find someone who deserved him, but I guess you’ll do.” Laughing, I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him on the cheek. “Don’t start crying all over my suit,” he mutters, embarrassed.
“Ha.” I narrow my eyes. “In a few weeks, my tears will be the least of your worries. You won’t be able to leave the house without baby vomit all over you. Or worse.”
He groans. “And I thought I was over all that.”
I watch Mandy nudge him and playfully narrow her eyes, then I look around, a feeling of happiness rushing through me. Only a few months ago, I never would’ve thought that this was possible, but I guess it just goes to show you that you can never really predict how things are going to work out.
“Happy?” Nick murmurs in my ear, trailing soft kisses down my neck.
My heart races. I feel like I’m going to cry again but in the best kind of way. I turn around and kiss him, not bothered who’s watching. Someone yells at us to get a room, but I’m not really listening.
“Happy doesn’t begin to cover it,” I grin.
It doesn’t matter how hard life gets because often, it’s the things you have to work for the hardest that are really worth it in the end. Falling in love with my Dad’s best friend definitely complicated things, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Because he’s my anaconda.
I CAN EXPLAIN (Awkward Love #2)
COMING 12th JAN 2018
(ALL books in the Awkward Love series are COMPLETE standalones).
PRE-ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0785HQ7PW
ADD to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36617428
Standing on the balcony, outside my boss’s apartment, wearing only my underwear?
Not how I expected to start my Saturday morning.
I guess I should’ve thought harder about going home with my sexy new gym instructor, especially since I had no idea the guy was married.
When he pushed me outside five seconds before his wife walked through the door, I jumped one balcony over. I thought it would be less embarrassing for a total stranger to find me than his wife.
That was a smart move.
So here I am, wearing next to nothing and freezing my ass off, staring through the living room window at my young, sexy, and very intimidating boss, Chase Winston.
I have two choices: I can sit here and try to think of another way out of this and risk dying of hypothermia. Or I can suck it up and knock on that window.
After a long, internal argument with myself, I choose option two.
Here goes nothing…
EXCERPT (Unedited)
“Alana,” Jade frowns, her skin almost cracking under the layers of make-up she has carefully piled onto her face. Two guesses who she’s trying to impress. I chuckle to myself. “Are you listening to me?”
I snap back to attention and nod. “Coffee. Dry-cleaning. Take contracts over to Peterson Walker,” I say, hoping I’ve gotten today’s list right. It was the same as yesterday and the day before, so I’m pretty sure I’m safe.
“Right, well, just don’t stuff it up, okay?” Jade sighs.
I bite my tongue before I say something that would probably get me fired. You forget the sugar in the boss’s coffee one time and it’s the end of the world. Sure, that guy just happens to be Chase Winston, my arrogant, rude, adorably beautiful, attractive asshole of a boss, but still.
I narrow my eyes at Peyton, who is hunched over her computer, trying not to laugh. The second Jade leaves our office, I let loose with a string of obscenities under my breath.
“One time,” I mumble. “I got it right yesterday, didn’t I?”
Peyton giggles. “You’ve been working here how long? You must’ve gotten the man a few hundred coffees. How on earth did you forget something like that?”
I know exactly how I forgot. I blame the sexy barista for making flirty eyes with me. Okay, so it turned out he was making flirty eyes with the dude behind me, but still. I think my defense still stands.
“Never mind,” I growl. “I better go do this before he pops an artery or something.”
There was only one thing worse than being Chase Winston’s Personal Assistant, and that is being one of the junior assistants who answers to his Personal Assistant. At least, I’m guessing it’s worse, because while I’ve never had the pleasure of being his personal assistant, Jade hands off all the shit she doesn’t want to handle, to us. Like getting his coffee. Something I should be able to do right by now.
I’ve been working at Winston Property Development (WPD) for nearly two years, and it’s been two years of pure torture. The only thing that makes it worthwhile, is Peyton, the other junior who works alongside me. Without her to make this whole thing bearable, I’d have left a long time ago. I grab my keys and my bag and walk toward the door, but I just can’t let it go.
“Seriously, did you see the way she looked at me when she told me not to stuff it up?” I huff, stalking back over to Peyton. “Like, god forbid I put two sugars in his damn coffee instead of one. Hey, maybe I should slip some laxatives in there?” I say with an evil grin. “I mean, he walks around like he’s got something lodged up his ass, maybe all he needs is a good, old fashioned clean out.”
“Lanna—”
“No. I don’t care how ridiculously sexy he is,” I say, cutting her off. I was on a roll and not even Peyton was going to stop me. “He’s an asshole to everyone here but Jade, and I bet that’s only because she’s sucking his cock. Not that I wouldn’t go there if he asked me to—”
“Lanna,” Peyton hisses.
“Oh, come on, like you wouldn’t suck his cock too,” I retort, nodding knowingly at her.
We’d had a lengthy discussion about this a few weeks ago at over a bottle of tequila, so I knew exactly what she wanted to do with that ten inches of pure stiff muscle. I chuckle to myself and turn around. My heart literally stops beating. Chase leans against Jade’s desk, a smirk on his face as he stares at me.
Oh, god no.
My heart pounds as I wait for him to react. I cannot believe I just said that. Well, I can believe it, because I say shit like that every day, but not when he’s standing right behind me. It’s like a scene from a really bad movie. With any luck, he’ll drag me outside and throw me on the back of his bike and take me somewhere to have his way with me. Or his office will do just fine.
“Is Jade here?” he asks, directing his question at me.
I shake my head, incapable of speaking. It’s worse that he’s ignoring the obvious issue of my outburst. I’d almost prefer for him to say something. Anything. Almost... He walks over to the door, stopping just as he reaches it. I brace myself.
“Alana?” He asks.
I force myself to meet his steel blue eyes, wishing he didn’t find this so damn amusing.
“Yes?” I whisper, feeling sick.
God, I am so embarrassed.
“While I appreciate your attentiveness to my health, I can assure you that everything is functioning just as it should. Maybe you should focus more on your job and less on things that don’t concern you?” he asks. “Like who is and isn’t sucking my cock.”
He walks out, briskly closing the door behind him.
I sit down on my chair, my eyes wide and breathe out. My heart is still racing, and I’m feeling a mixture of nausea and embarrassment over the whole situation. Peyton rushes over to me, both panicked and trying not to laugh, which under any other circumstance would be a funny combination. I glare at her, which sets her off.
“I’m so sorry,” she giggles, shaking her head. “I swear I’m not laughing at you, but that just made my fucking day.”
“I’m glad I can be a source of amusement for you,” I grumble, my tone sour.
“At least
he knows your name now?” she offers, her eyes twinkling.
I scowl at her. I think I preferred it when he didn’t.
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It's Complicated Page 14