by Selena Blake
“I needed to see you. To apologize for earlier.”
“I thought we decided you were going to take some time to yourself.”
“No, sweetheart, you decided I was going to take some time,” he said, willing her to understand what he was saying, what he was feeling. “I know I’ve been a bear and you, wonderful woman that you are, were trying to give me the space I needed. But when I was at the bar with the guys I realized I don’t need or want time away from you. I wanted to be here with you, holding your hand, watching old movies. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. You and I know how we feel so who cares about the timing. I’m sorry about what I said earlier. Can you forgive me?”
He massaged her shoulder, wishing he could see her face better, wishing she could see his eyes.
“There’s no need to apologize for being in a dark place.” Her tone was soothing, calm.
She was so sweet, so understanding. How had he gotten so lucky for her to pick him? For a moment he just stood there, soaking in her words, her soothing presence, the knowledge that she was safe. But there was more to say.
“You’re right. But I am sorry for being a lousy houseguest. For snapping at you and not thanking you enough. I think you know...” He reached for her hand. “I’m not that guy. I’m not moody or depressed or angry. You’ve seen me through the worst week of my life and you’ve been my anchor.”
Eyes adjusting to the dim light, he saw her smile but it wasn’t her normal smile. It was humorless. “Just what I’ve always dreamed of being.”
“You should. That’s one of the most important parts of a relationship.”
“A relationship?” She sounded both hopeful yet disbelieving and though she didn’t lean into him, she didn’t step away either.
“I’m saying this all wrong.” He paused and took a breath. There was only one thing to say. One thing that mattered. He put the phone in his pocket and cupped her cheeks in his hands.
“I love you Gretchen Mascoe. I think I have from the moment you walked into that hospital room claiming to be my fiancé. For the record, the cops outside think I’m your fiancé.”
Her brows rose and her lips formed an adorable O. The urge to sweep in and kiss her was strong, but stronger was the need to know what she was thinking. Surprised, obviously. He’d become fairly good at Gretchen-charades but this was too important to leave to a guessing game. Especially in darkness.
“Say something,” he whispered.
“You told the cops I’m you’re fiancé?”
He chuckled. “Out of everything I said, that’s what you heard?”
“I…”
“You...” He prompted when she halted.
“I love you too. But—”
He ducked his head and slanted his lips across hers, silencing any ifs, ands or buts. She tasted like vanilla, caramel and cheese puffs; a funny, delightful and unforgettable combination. As unique as the woman herself. Dropping one arm around her waist, he pulled her closer until they touched from knee to chest.
Now that he’d sorted himself out he couldn’t wait to move forward with her. To kiss her whenever he wanted, hold her and make love to her.
When he pulled back she was smiling, a real, joyous smile. He grinned back, heart overflowing. Funny how what he’d always been looking for was waiting for him to wake up and pay attention this whole time.
He tipped his forehead against hers. “I’m glad you waited for me.”
“I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“I’m a little slow on the uptake apparently. Can you forgive me?”
She narrowed her gaze up at him, her lips curved into a smirk. “You’re just after my cookies.”
He laughed and his ribs didn’t even complain. “You know me so well.”
“Yeah.” She squeezed him. “I do.”
“What do you say we go get a hotel room and leave all this for the morning.” He nodded toward the living room.
“I say finally!” Cindy called from the end of the hall.
“Me too,” Ronny agreed.
“Me three,” Thomas added.
They glanced at their friends and family crowding the mouth of the hallway. The four of them were awash with flickering blue and red light from the emergency vehicles outside the front door.
“How long have you guys been listening to a private conversation?” Greg asked although he wasn’t mad in the least. With so many siblings, privacy was a premium. He knew that, expected it.
“Long enough,” JJ said, giving them a thumbs up.
“I take it you’re not going to need a lift back to your condo,” Thomas said, obviously enjoying this way too much.
“Nope.” Greg smiled down at Gretchen before continuing. “Your chauffeuring services are no longer required.”
“Great. Glad you two finally sorted that out. What do you want me to do with all the flowers?” Thomas asked, jerking a thumb in the general direction of his Jeep.
“Flowers?” Gretchen said.
Greg smiled. “I was on my way back here to woo you.”
Gretchen’s brows inched upward again. “Woo me?”
“I’ll be out for them in a minute,” he said and turned his attention back to Gretchen. He heard Ronny escorting everyone out of the small house and was thankful for the privacy.
He cupped her cheek. “You deserve lots of wooing.”
She shook her head, paused to stare up at him and then threw her arms around his neck as laughter bubbled out of her. “You are something else Greg Fairchild.”
“But you love me anyway, right?”
She nuzzled the spot just below his ear and then whispered “more than life itself.”
EPILOGUE
Five weeks later
“You’re not going to give me any hints?” Gretchen asked. She didn’t mind the blindfold but curiosity had been needling her like a demented acupuncturist for the last twenty minutes.
Since the night Greg had swept back into her house, declaring his love, her life had been almost dreamlike. Being a part of a couple was everything she’d thought it would be and more. Being with Greg, not just physically but emotionally, was better than she could have imagined.
They’d had Sunday dinner two more times and she was on the lookout for a table of similar width and height since Baby, Cindy and sometimes Adam joined them.
“We’re here. Don’t take that off,” Greg ordered from the driver’s seat.
She heard the car engine turn off and then quiet reined; a door open and closed. She got the feeling that the seat next to her was empty. Just as she reached for the seatbelt the door to her right opened and she felt the warm May air surround her.
Greg helped her from the car and kept one hand and the small of her back, the other clasping her left hand.
“There are three steps coming up,” he told her.
“Where are we?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Ready for the steps?”
Once they’d navigated the stairs, he told her to wait just a second. There was a brief sound she couldn’t place. A car drove by behind her. Two birds called to each other.
“Here we go.” He was back by her side, guiding her forward a few more steps.
His hands slid to her shoulders, halting her. “Ready?”
She took a deep breath and citrus teased her nose. “Past ready,” she said.
When he’d told her he had something to show her, she’d assumed it was another table or set of cabinets that he’d built. But his workshop smelled of wood and glue, not citrus.
He released the knot on the blindfold. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the change in light. There was a wooden staircase to the left, a fireplace to her right. She turned, taking in the space, feeling like she’d seen it before.
“Come on, let’s see the rest,” he said, hand taking up residence at the small of her back again. She soaked in his warmth as he guided her through to what had to be a living room. It was empty, the hardwood floors bare. The walls were
white against the thick mouldings.
By the time they’d stepped through the dining room to the kitchen she knew where she’d seen this place before. “This is the house. In Roseville.”
He nodded, looking very pleased with himself.
“They got rid of the wallpaper.” The place had been covered in aging paper full of teeny tiny flowers and dizzying stripes.
“Correction, I got rid of the wallpaper.”
Her head jerked left. “You?”
“Me.”
Now she knew where the smug expression came from.
“You bought this place?”
He nodded.
“I was thinking about knocking out this wall to the sunroom so it’d be an eat in kitchen. New cabinets of course,” he said, gesturing towards the space, detailing everything he planned to change. He had grand plans to add a combination mudroom/laundry room off the back of the house. Landscaping the backyard for a family. Upstairs the bathroom needed gutting.
“The mudroom/laundry room will give us square footage for a new master bathroom.”
“Sounds like a lot of work,” she said but saw his vision clearly.
“It will be,” he admitted.
“But it will be worth it,” she said, leaning back against him as they stared out the master bedroom window at the backyard. She could see his vision coming to life. Two children playing in the grass, with another on the swing set in the corner. Greg there to offer a hand; Gretchen herself sitting on a newly built deck, watching her husband, her family. She wanted that. She wanted this.
“I haven’t showed you the best part.”
He led her out the back door, across the uneven brick pavers to a garage that needed a good bit of work. A lamp hung askew over a side door. He shoved it open and held out his hand to her.
“Two car garage. Extra storage on this side. But back here...” He led her through another doorway and came to a space just as large as the last. “A workshop.”
He flicked a switch and two ancient lights sputtered to life.
“Do many home owners need a workshop?” She asked. If the backyard had a pool she could see this being an excellent pool house or even a family room of sorts. But Greg was the only wood worker she knew. Maybe a family could store tools and toys in here.
“This isn’t the best part,” he told her, reaching for her hand again. He pulled her around the corner and up a hidden flight of stairs. She could feel his excitement coming through his fingers.
The space above the garage was enormous. There was a window at each end.
“Close your eyes.” He’d barely given her time to survey the mammoth space.
“I see two dormers overlooking the backyard, letting in lots of light. And on the back wall, built-ins from the floor to the slope of the roof. Lots of bookshelves. A desk at this end and a day bed over there. A few more built-ins for a printer and supplies. You could run your whole business from here. You’re going to need the extra space. If you decide not to go back to teaching next year you’ll want to ramp up production. And I have a feeling Lillith’s shop is just the beginning.”
Her eyelids popped open.
“My whole—” her voice faltered as she took in the man on his knee in front of her. Palm up, a diamond ring twinkled up at her.
“Marry me, Gretchen. Live here with me. Make babies with me. Make a life with me.” His eyes, full of love and confidence, met hers. And though there was a hint of tension on his face, there was also cocky assurance. His shoulders were relaxed, chest open and she could feel every fiber of him reaching for her, waiting with bated breath for her answer.
A slow smile pulled the corners of her lips up. Everything she’d ever wanted was right there in front of her. A strong, capable man who loved her, she was sure of that part because he radiated the emotion.
She glanced around the dusty space. She could still see his vision. She could see herself here. Him. Their kids. Holidays. Sunday dinners. And cookies. Lots and lots of cookies in that great big kitchen he’d promised her.
“Yes. Yes. Yes.”
A grin split his face and he jumped up, completely healed after the accident. He slid the ring onto that very important finger on her left hand. They admired it for a few heartbeats.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered. It was huge.
“You’re beautiful.”
“Charmer...”
She glanced up into the blue eyes she knew so well and felt her heart expand. Finally. She was finally on track for the life she’d been dreaming about since she was a child. This was it. There’d be no second guessing on her part and while she was sure that they’d have their ups and downs she believed in the two of them. She believed in his love and his commitment.
“I love you,” she said, stretching up to kiss him.
“I love you, too...fiancé.”
She grinned. “I guess we don’t have to lie anymore.”
“Nope. Now let’s go discuss the kitchen remodel,” he said, taking her hand. “I’m seeing double ovens in my future. How many cookies did you say two ovens would hold?”
Happiness bubbled through her as she followed him down the stairs and across the yard. As she glanced across the space she saw Greg’s vision again. Him and her. Children. A dog racing around after them and a sweet natured cat curled up on a lounge chair. But most of all, she saw her future. She saw love. She was finally home.
THE END
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THANK YOU!
Thank you so much for reading Go For It. This story, and Gretchen and Greg in particular, touched my heart. It was such a joy to write about two ordinary people, folks who’d been friends for years, who finally...finally fall in love.
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ABOUT SELENA BLAKE
An action movie buff with a penchant for all things supernatural and sexy, New York Times bestselling author Selena Blake combines her love for adventure, travel and romance into steamy paranormal romance. Selena’s books have been called “a steamy escape” and have appeared on bestseller lists, been nominated for awards, and won contests. When she’s not writing you can find her by the pool soaking up some sun, day dreaming about new characters, and watching the cabana boy (aka her muse), Derek. Fan mail keeps her going when the diet soda wears off so write to her at [email protected].
Visit her online at http://www.selena-blake.com or if you’re on Facebook, become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake
OTHER SELENA BLAKE BOOKS
Kindle Readers, you can sign up to receive notifications from amazon when I release a new book. All it takes is one click. Visit my author page on amazon and click on the link near the top of the right hand column. http://amzn.to/1kgZvZO
Series: Girls’ Night Trilogy
Ask for It (erotic contemporary romance novel)
Series: Mystic Isle
Fangs, Fur & Mistletoe (erotic paranormal romance novella)
A Werewolf to Call Her Own (erotic paranormal romance novella)
Games Demons Play (erotic paranormal romance novella)
Pursued by a Werewolf (erotic paranormal romance novel)
Series: Stormy Weather
The Cajun’s Captive (erotic paranormal romance novella)
Bitten in the Bayou (paranormal romance novella, ménage)
Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf
(formerly Bound & Determined, erotic paranormal romance, long novella)
Mated to a Cajun Werewolf (erotic paranormal romance, long novella)
Stranded with a Cajun Werewolf (erotic paranormal romance novel)
A Cajun Werewolf Christmas (paranormal romance short story)
Anthologies
Stormy Weather anthology (5-in-1)
Stormy Weather Collector’s Edition (5-in-1, plus interviews, deleted scenes and more)
Double The Pleasure (2-in-1, ménage edition)
Surprising Darcy (short contemporary erotica ménage)
Just a Little Taste (short contemporary erotica)
Ready & Willing (erotic paranormal romance novel)
Series: Deep Space Encounters
Reclaiming Isis (erotic sci fi novella)
Rescuing Natacha (erotic sci fi novella)
Azula’s Rebellion (erotic sci fi novella)
WHAT’S NEXT?
Baby & Joe’s story is up next. Beg For It will be the finally story in the Girls’ Night Trilogy. All four ladies will appear in this novel; so don’t worry, you’ll get to catch up with them.
COPYRIGHT
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Copyright ©2014 Ecila Media Corp
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, places or events is purely coincidental. Characters, events, and organizations within this work are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously.