Under Construction: A Blue Collar Alpha Romance

by Aria Cole

  I pulled the phone from my pocket, punching out a quick text with the new address and telling her to meet me after work.

  She replied a few minutes later, telling me that she was leaving in a bit and she would be here soon.

  I grinned, eyes turning up to the peak of the tall roof, the massive covered porch I’d built with my very own hands. This home was my dream, and I couldn't wait to share it with her.

  Within ten minutes Paige was rolling up the dirt driveway, eyes turned up to the house when she got out. She stood there with a sweet look of confusion on her face.

  “Welcome home!” I called, crossing what would soon be our front lawn to get to her. I wrapped her in my arms, peppering her neck and lips with kisses. “Do you like it?”

  “This is beautiful, Stone.”

  “I designed and built it myself. Well, not all by myself, but it’s been a work in progress for nearly a year now. It will be good to finally get moved in.”

  “I bet,” she replied, smiling softly as our hands locked.

  “Want a tour?”

  She nodded, unusually quiet as I walked her to the front door.

  “Four bedrooms, three baths, and a fully finished basement.” I guided her through the foyer, fifteen feet of ceilings stretching high, a winding staircase that led to the second floor waiting for us. “Come, I’ll show you the master bedroom.”

  We walked hand in hand up the stairs.

  “It’s beautiful, Stone. Beautiful and big.” She mused, eyes taking in the crown moldings and handcrafted banisters.

  “I don’t plan on it being empty long.” I pulled her a little closer to my body, itching to show her the best part of this house, the very reason I’d bought the land to begin with. “You’ve got to see this.”

  We walked through the massive master bedroom, straight out the elegant French doors and onto a large balcony complete with jacuzzi.

  “Wow,” she breathed, eyes wide as she took in the Rocky Mountains stretching as far as the eye could see. Snow-capped at their highest, these mountains moved me like nothing else ever had, until her. “This is incredible.”

  “It’s my favorite place in the world,” I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

  “I’m going to be sad when you leave.” The words came out so softly I hardly heard them.

  “Leave? Why would you be sad when I leave? You’re coming with me.”

  “Stone.” She shook her head. “No, you’re crazy—”

  “Crazy for you.” I cut her off, turning her in my arms so I could catch her beautiful eyes. “Share this with me, little bird. Live here with me. We’ll fill it with laughter and love and babies.”

  “Stone…” she whispered, eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “Stone, that’s probably not the best idea.”

  “I don’t give a damn about the best ideas. I want you with me every night and every single morning.” I ducked, capturing her lips in a persuasive kiss. “I’m not taking no for an answer, little bird.”

  She sucked in a sharp breath, eyes darting to the jagged peaks of the mountains then back to my face. “You have to be certifiably insane. It’s literally been one week!”

  “One week after an entire lifetime of waiting. I can’t spend a single night without you.” I sucked her bottom lip between mine, hands trailing down her body to press at the seam of her thighs. “Let’s just say I got used to the snoring and the wet dreams and those sexy little moans you make when you’re thinking about me.”

  “Stone!” She erupted into a fit of giggles, which quickly turned to soft pants as my fingers sped between her legs.

  “Say yes,” I uttered, slipping a hand beneath her waistband and grazing the mound of her pussy with my palm. “Say yes, Paige.”

  She shook her head, lip sucked between her teeth as she tried to stifle the moans threatening to break past.

  “Yes, little bird.” My fingertips grazed her hot core, enjoying the shudder that burned through her body at my touch.

  “Stone,” she whimpered, hands pushing into my hair and tugging as her beautiful tits arched within reach of my mouth.

  “Say you’ll live here with me, say you’ll marry me and have my babies. Say you’ll stay forever, little bird, or there’s a punishment in your future.”

  “Mm…what if I like the punishment?” she teased, eyes burning up at me, dark with lust.

  “Then all you had to do was say so.” I spun and pulled her pants down her ass, revealing her sweet cheeks to my greedy eyes. “After you say yes.”

  She wiggled her hips, obviously expecting to feel the smack on her behind. Her head whipped around, eyes nailing me as she pursed her lips. “Pleassse, Stone.”

  “Not until you tell me you’re mine, gorgeous.”

  Her grin deepened, her eyes nailed to my gaze. Her lips pursed and she spoke. “I’m yours, Stone Garrett. I was long before I even realized it. Yes, I’ll move in with you.”

  “And have my babies?” I rubbed a palm at her ass cheek, warming her up.

  “Yes, Stone. All of your beautiful little babies.”

  “That’s my girl.” I grinned, feeling something unlock and loosen deep inside my heart. I landed a soft crack on her ass, loving the way her flesh pinked with the shape of my handprint. “You’re so fucking special to me.”

  I turned, wrapping my hands in her hair and kissing her. “I need your eyes, little bird. You’ve just made me the happiest man alive, and for God sakes, I need your eyes.”

  First Epilogue

  Paige - one month later

  “Stone!” I called through the house, excitement pulsing through my voice.

  “In here!” His throaty voice, which never failed to leave me weak in the knees, called from somewhere upstairs. I climbed the steps, taking two at a time, anxious to tell him my news.

  “I have a surprise.” I stepped into our master suite, still piled high with moving boxes. We’d only just moved in a few weeks ago, and Stone was still busy every night after work adding finishing touches to the house.

  “In here,” he said from the bathroom. I stepped in, leaning against the doorjamb as he stretched, the rippled muscles of his biceps straining as he finished screwing in the new light fixture we’d picked out.

  “It looks beautiful.” I loved watching him work.

  “You know, I like it more than I thought I would. I didn’t really imagine a girly chandelier in here when I built the house, but you’ve got good taste.” He winked.

  “Of course I do. I picked you, didn’t I?” I teased, then crossed the space to him. He pulled me into his arms, sliding a hand across my cheek as he took my lips in a welcome home kiss.

  “So what’s the surprise you have for me?” he uttered when he pulled away.

  “Well…” I held his eyes. “I’ve been feeling kind of funny lately. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I went to the doctor—”

  “Wait a minute, you’ve been feeling funny and you didn’t tell me? I would have taken you to the doctor.” He traced the pad of his thumb across my cheekbone.

  “I know, it was a last-minute appointment, and I didn’t think it was any big deal…but…” I paused, wondering how to spit out the next words.

  “But…?” He urged me on.

  “But it was a big deal. It is. Stone…” I took his hand in mine, weaving our fingers together. “Stone, we’re having a baby.”

  “What?” His mouth popped open. “Paige, really? You’re carrying my baby?”

  I grinned, tears flooding my eyes as I nodded.

  “Oh, little bird.” He molded me to his body, hands rubbing my back, lips covering the skin of my neck as he kissed and hummed. “I love you so much. You don’t know how happy you make me.”

  “I couldn’t believe it,” I finally confessed. “We made a baby, Stone. In basically eight months we’re going to have a little human in this house…”

  “Eight months…” I could almost see the thoughts turning over in his mind. “We don’t have much time.”


  “Time?” I laughed. “We have time to get a nursery together, get the house ready…”

  “No, no, we’ve got plenty of time for that. I can whip out a nursery in a weekend. Making you mine is what I’m worried about.”

  “Making me yours? I am yours.” I rubbed at my flat tummy. “I think this more than proves it.”

  “Nothing but a ring on your finger and my last name proves it. We’ve got to find you a dress.”

  “A dress? Stone, you’re acting crazy again.”

  “Think we can get someone to marry us right here tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow?!” I squealed.

  He dropped my hand and pulled his phone from his pocket. He typed out a quick text, then his eyes were back on me. “Guy at work got married up in the mountains few months ago, I just asked him for the name of the guy that married them.”

  “Married them? Stone, you’re rushing things again!”

  “Listen, little bird, everything about us has moved at warp speed because when you find the woman you love, a man doesn’t hesitate. I won’t have my child born out of wedlock, I want you safe, settled, and happy as hell for the next eight months, and I want to take care of you. I’m a traditional man, Paige, and I want every single person within a thousand miles to know you’re my family. This little boy or girl needs a daddy. I won’t have anyone wondering otherwise.”

  “Stone…” I inhaled, taken back by his words. Excitement throbbed through my system. “Do you think we could really do it so soon?”

  “You’d better believe it, baby.” He grinned, placing a kiss on my cheek.

  Just then his phone buzzed. He looked at it for a quick second, then back up to me.

  “It’s settled. I’ll give him a call and see how soon he can do it, then we’ve got to find you a pretty white dress.”

  I shook my head, unable to help the smile lifting my cheeks. “We probably won’t be able to find one off the rack.”

  “I’d marry you in burlap. I don’t give a shit. I just want to be your husband.”

  I tucked my head into his shoulder, so thankful I’d found him, or heard him as it so happened. We were moving at a feverish pace, everything in our relationship had happened so quickly, but Stone was right—when you know you know, and boy, did I know.

  Stone Garrett was it for me.

  The next morning we walked hand in hand down the sidewalk in our small town. We’d both taken the day off because Stone had called the officiant, who’d agreed to marry us.

  Later that day I would officially become Mrs. Stone Garrett.

  “Oh, look at that one.” I paused, pointing to a slim lace and beaded A-line in a bridal shop window.

  “I don’t like the little jacket thing over it.” Stone crinkled his nose.

  I laughed. “That comes off. I don’t have to wear that with the dress.”

  “Good.” He pulled me into his arms and kissed my nose. “I don’t like you covered.”

  “Don’t I know that,” I teased, pulling him into the bridal shop.

  “Can she try on that one in the window, please?” Stone asked the store associate.

  “Of course! We have a few more in the back. What size, dear?”

  “Uhh,” I glanced from Stone and back to her eyes. I detested the idea of confessing my size in front of him. The double digit number made me uncomfortable enough as is.

  “Come with me, let me measure you, dear.” The woman touched my elbow, a soft smile shimmering in her wise eyes. “Fitting rooms are just over here.”

  I followed her across the room, slipping inside the private changing area. She followed me in, wrapping a tape around my waist and measuring the inches with her experienced fingers. “I’ll be back in a dash.”

  She was gone a minute later, Stone filling the space she’d just vacated.

  “Just what do you think you’re doing? You’re not supposed to be in the changing room with me!”

  Stone’s eyes narrowed, a huff falling past his lips. “Fine.”

  I blew him a kiss, closing the door behind him. A few minutes later the saleswoman bustled in with layers of decadent lace waterfalling over her arms.

  She hung the dress against the wall and I nearly pinched myself.

  Was I really here? Trying on this beautiful dress to marry this even more beautiful man?

  This ridiculously charming, incredibly irritating, sexy, arrogant man?

  Yes, yes, I was, and I could hardly contain the excitement barreling through my belly at the idea of it.

  I pulled the dress from it’s satin-wrapped hanger, slipping the yards of fabric up my body, adjusting the spaghetti straps and turning to take in the reflection of the mirror, I gasped.

  “Paige?” Stone called, my ever-present white knight hovering just outside the door. “You okay?”

  “I-I’m fine.” My voice shook with emotion. “It’s perfect.”

  I twirled, taking in the elegantly beaded back that dipped so low it nearly showed my ass.

  “I need to see you, Paige. Give me one good reason not to come in that room.”

  I grinned, loving every bit of his over-protective personality. “Because you’re a traditional man, Stone Garrett.” I popped my head out of the door and nailed him with a stern look. “And seeing me before the wedding is seven years of bad luck or something like that.”

  Another low rumble radiated from his chest, his eyes flashing across my face and softening. “You’re so beautiful.” His hand cupped my jaw. “I can’t believe you agreed to marry me.”

  “Well, I haven’t yet.” I shot him a sassy grin and ducking back into the dressing room.

  “Paige…” he growled, frustration lacing his words.

  “Calm down, Garrett, you’ll get your girl. Just give me a moment to take this in.” I smoothed my hands down the fabric, hovering at my waistline as I imagined it expanding to accommodate the little baby we’d created.

  Everything about this moment was beautiful, everything about being with Stone was a dream I hadn’t even dared to wish for. Never did I think I would meet someone like him, someone who could drive me insane and make me fall so hard and so fast all at the same time.

  “How’s it going, dear?” the associate cooed from outside the door.

  “Perfect. It’s perfect.” I swiped at a happy tear. “We’ll take it.”

  Four hours later, as the sun was setting over the mountains, Stone Garrett made me his wife.

  Second Epilogue

  Stone - eighteen months later

  “Look at the little lady driving the big man’s truck!” one of the guys on the job site quipped at the sound of crunching gravel. I looked up, nearly landing the hammer in my hand squarely on my thumb when Paige put the truck, my truck, in park, crawling out one curvy leg at a time.

  Damn, she was sexy as hell, every wild fantasy I’d ever had come true. Thank God I’d managed to find her in those few weeks I was staying at that apartment. I sometimes think how easily we could have missed each other. If she hadn’t have heard me banging against that wall, if she hadn’t had the fire inside her to say something to me in the hallway that day, God knows what my life would have been like.

  Now it was so full—a beautiful baby girl at home, another cooking in my wife’s belly. I’d told her I wanted babies with her, and I hadn’t been kidding. Paige and I had been fucking like animals since almost the minute we’d met, without protection, leaving our future family up to fate. Soon I would be the father of two young ones. I already had the beautiful wife and the beautiful house, three dogs Paige had rescued from work, and enough love that it felt like my heart could burst at the seams. And I hadn’t been kidding when I’d said I wanted to fill the house. It was packed with joy and love, all because of her. My little bird.

  And with her support, I’d finally started my own construction and building company. No more working for the man, and since business was booming in this little town, I’d had enough work to keep me and my crew busy for the next few years a
t least. Paige had cheerleaded by my side from the start, and it made me love her even more. I hadn’t even thought there was more room for me to love that woman, but she surprised me a little more every day, and watching her carry my daughter, watching her feed and love and sing to her, was Heaven for a guy like me.

  “I’m breaking for lunch!” I called, dropping my hammer in its spot and going to her. “Afternoon, Mrs. Garrett.”

  She pressed up on her toes and planted a kiss on my lips when I reached her.

  “Brought lunch.” She held up a paper bag. She was only working a few days a week at the vet’s office. I loved the days she worked because she often stopped by so we could have lunch together. Our lives may be more full than ever, but finding time to spend together wasn’t a problem we had. We were more connected than we’d ever been, and even I didn’t think that was possible. Watching her give birth to my child, watching her coo and nurse and tuck Penelope in at night, I loved her even more.

  “I’ll take you for lunch.” I slipped a hand down the curve of her ass, showing her exactly what I meant.

  “What are you waiting for then?” She raised a teasing eyebrow.

  “Don’t tempt me, little bird.”

  She rotated her hips, my cock flexed, hardening behind my zipper.

  “You’re a horny little thing this time around,” I husked in her ear, hands circling her stomach, a small bump already visible.

  “It’s all the hormones,” she said. “I just want to jump you every time I see you.”

  I grinned. “Good, I like you wet and needy for me.” I slipped a hand between us, circling her clit through her pants. “Come with me, little bird.”

  Her eyebrows nearly shot into her hairline. I locked her hand with mine before she could protest, leading her through the unfinished front door of the house the guys and I had been working on. I turned a corner, taking advantage the first moment I could and pulling her to me, lips and hips melding together.

  “What if—”

  “What if someone sees how much I love my wife and can’t keep my hands off her? Let them see.” I nipped at her earlobe, thrusting my throbbing cock against her.