by J. A. Low
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Big Thanks to
About the Author
Also in the Series
Suddenly More
Copyright @ 2016 JA Low
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Dedication
To My Boys
Thank you for letting Mummy live her dream.
“Congratulations.” The applause from our friends catches us off guard. The gang wanted to throw us a mini engagement party after hearing our news this morning. They set up our penthouse suite for an intimate celebratory dinner. The view from our room is unbelievable, looking out over the Parisian skyline, the Eiffel Tower standing tall and magnificent in the background, lights twinkling in the night sky like diamonds. I can’t believe Evan proposed last night while we were at the top of the tower. He had rented out the entire Michelin starred restaurant just for us. Seeing him standing there dressed in a tuxedo made my mouth water, my heart thump and my body hum. Vanessa and Derrick warned me that Evan had a romantic night planned, that he was trying to woo me back after our misunderstanding in London. I hadn’t realized how much he was trying until then.
But last night, all my doubts, all my insecurities vanished and all I could see was him, Evan Wyld, the man that captured my heart, not the one that broke it. The man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, the father of Bean. An enticing future mapped out before us and I wanted it all. When he surprised me with a proposal on top of one of the most romantic places in the world, how could I say no. How could I ever deny myself the happiness that we were meant to have together? Him kneeling before me, his ocean blue eyes shimmering with love, lust and vulnerability, waiting for my answer. All the bullshit that had happened over the last month evaporated and all I saw was Evan and our future.
“Let me see the ring,” Derrick squeals, grabbing my hand. “Holy shit, Evan! Are you a fucking miner?”
Evan looks at Derrick bewildered.
“Because you just dug up a goddamn boulder. He needed to give you a big rock after the shit he pulled,” he went on, giving Evan a stern look.
I know Derrick is being protective of me, but all that is in the past, plus it wasn’t all Evan’s fault. I shoulder some of the blame at what happened between us.
“I know, D, and I promise to make it up to her every damn day of her life.” Evan pulls me into his side, placing a comforting kiss in my hair.
“Good. I know you love her, Evan, but I never, ever want to see her the way she was after you left. Ever again.” Derrick looks at Evan seriously.
Fuck, I love D with all my heart but he needs to pull back on the over protectiveness. “D,” I start, putting my hand on his chest, “Evan and I are good. Okay? No more talk about the past, we are here to celebrate our future,” I state in hope of changing the subject.
“I’m sorry, don’t forget I was there when you found out about Beau. I was there when Evan threw you out of the hotel room, breaking your heart, and I was the one that got the call about your accident. So I’m not sorry that I love the ever loving shit out of you, okay.” Tears start to run down Derrick’s face.
I rush toward Derrick and wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you, D,” I whisper into his ear while holding him tight. We stay like that for a moment, the room becoming silent, everyone watching us.
Derrick eventually pulls away from me, wiping the tears from his cheeks, and hands me to Evan. “I’m trusting you with my girl because I know you will protect her as fiercely as I will.”
Evan nods in understanding, the room’s tension sags in relief.
“Now let’s celebrate,” Derrick yells, quickly changing the tone of the evening.
I look at Evan, who’s looking a little shocked but is smiling. “I think D just gave you away—to me. That’s kind of huge, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, I think he did.”
“Fuck, I love you.” He captures my mouth in a slow, soft kiss which quickly intensifies, my body purring with desire.
“For fuck’s sake, put that shit away,” Christian grumbles.
His comment makes us pull apart. My lips are swollen, my face is flushed - I don’t care, I am so deliriously happy. The night continues on in merriment, the most amazing feast is set out before us. Our friends all huddled around the table, Christian, Vanessa, Charlotte, Derrick, Yvette, Blake and Chance, to celebrate with us.
“So, D, what are your plans now that Evan is whisking Sienna back to LA?” Christian asks.
I’ve been so caught up in my own happiness that I’ve forgotten where this leaves him, my partner in crime. The tour is over so our contract is up. He’s free to do anything he wants. Shit, what if he wants to go back to Australia? No, he needs to be with me! Bean needs to grow up with his crazy Uncle Derrick around—Australia is too far for that.
“Not sure, I guess I could stay here in Paris. I mean it is the capital of the fashion world, so I’m sure my styling skills could be of use here.” He shrugs, taking a sip of his champagne.
“I could use your help,” Yvette says, smiling at him.
No, no, no, I scream inside my head. I don’t want to share Derrick. But your life is changing Sienna, which means your relationship with Derrick will change. Is it unfair of me to want him by my side? Is it unfair to Evan to continue my close relationship with Derrick? I know Beau hated how close we were. Does that mean Evan will be like that too?
Evan grasps my hand under the table, giving it a squeeze.
“I’m sure Dirty Texas Records could use a stylist on their team,” Evan adds, nonchalantly.
I look at this man, stunned. Did he read where my thoughts were going? Does he realize how much I need Derrick in my life? My eyes fall on D; he looks a little shocked by Evan’s statement.
“You could freelance, maybe start up your own business again in LA. Isn’t it your holy grail of all things styling with all those celebrities running around?” Vanessa adds.
Derrick is silent but I can see the wheels turning in his head.
&nbs
p; “Man, that would awesome. I’d miss my workout partner if you left,” Christian slaps him on the back. Those two connected instantly. Maybe it’s their laid back style, their over the top personalities, or just some cosmic connection that doesn’t need any real reason other than they just fit.
“Of course, all my life decisions are based around your workout schedule, Christian,” Derrick laughs. “I’m not sure what I want, or where I want to go,” he adds quietly.
This is the first time I’ve seen Derrick a little lost. My eyes fall on Chance. Is Derrick hesitant because of Chance? I know they have hooked up before and Derrick likes him, plus Chance flew halfway across the world to be by his side when he needed him. But that doesn’t mean he wants anything more with D, does it? Chance’s blue-green eyes never leave Derrick’s all night. I noticed the way they would catch glances at each other when they thought no one was watching. Something is brewing there. He’s younger than Derrick, by a couple of years and he’s totally D’s type. Hot, great body, charisma, all the things Derrick goes for, except for one thing. The boy is in the closet and Derrick, no matter what his feelings are for the guy, never wants to go back to being in the closet again, especially after everything he had to go through to get to where he is comfortable within himself.
“D, if you worked for Dirty Texas Records we could work together,” Charlotte smiles excitedly at him.
Derrick nods and agrees with Charlotte, telling her it would be awesome, he jokes about undressing all the hot rock stars, making everyone laugh. His eyes fall on me, obviously waiting to hear what I have to say. We stare at each other for what feels like an eternity, then the conversation turns in another direction and the moment is lost. I feel it deep inside of me, Derrick is waiting to hear what I want him to do. He is waiting for me to tell him that I can’t live without him and that he needs to come to LA. Stupidly, I miss my chance to say anything, damn it.
“Are you alright, sweetheart?” Evan whispers in my ear.
I am silent for a moment, the sounds of our friends talking around us. “I don’t want Derrick to go back to Australia, Evan,” I murmur, hoping no one will interrupt our private conversation.
“Sweetheart, I know you and Derrick are a package deal, so if you are worried about me, don’t be.” The tension in my body disappears hearing him say he understands my need for another man. That he understands the bond Derrick and I share.
“I want to start up my business again, like D and I had in Sydney.” I share with Evan. It’s all I have been thinking about all night.
“Yeah, darlin’?” He responds, pulling me into his side.
“I want to use the profits from the sale of the Sydney boutique to start again in LA.” There it is, my dream, out in the open.
Evan’s blue eyes look down at me. “I think that sounds like a brilliant idea.”
I’m shocked. “You do?”
He chuckles. “I want you to be happy in LA and if that means starting a new business with Derrick then that is what we are going to do.” His lips touch my ear, sending goosebumps over my body.
“Fuck, I love you.” Tears glistening in my eyes, I wait until there is a break in the conversation. “Hey, D…” Might as well throw it out there, no interlude, straight to the point. “I was wondering if you wanted to go into business together.” He looks at me puzzled, the rest of the table falls silent.
“Really, you want to go into business with me?” His eyebrows rise, but I can tell by the smirk he is trying to keep hidden that he is so in but he’s dragging it out, for dramatics.
“Unless anyone knows a better stylist to work with?” I smile at him.
“Bitch, please. I am the only one that will put up with you. Plus, look at me, you know those LA women are going to want a piece of this ass, I’m good for business,” he chuckles. There’s my D, the arrogant asshole.
“So what do you say?” I hope that he really does want to do this.
Derrick gets up out of his chair and struts over to me. “Did you think you could get rid of me that easily?”
“I never want to get rid of you, D, you’re my family and family sticks together.” Looking up into his green eyes, he turns to my fiancé.
“Evan, will you be okay with me working with Sienna all the time? Because the last one wasn’t that happy about my presence.” Derrick crosses his arms over his broad chest defensively waiting for Evan to have a problem with it, just like Beau always did.
“Like Si said, you’re family. I know you two come as a package deal, of course I want you around.” Evan smiles genuinely at Derrick.
D visibly relaxes. “So if we are a package deal does that mean a threesome is on the cards?” Derrick wiggles his eyebrows at Evan, who looks panicked.
“Ignore him, babe. He’s joking.” I laugh, standing up to pull Derrick’s focus away from my fiancé. I place my hands on either side of his face, “You and me.”
He breaks out in a smile, “You and me.”
“Am I the only one waiting for them two to start making out,” Christian asks, making the whole room erupt into laughter. Evan gives him a death stare.
“I wish you would tell me where we are going?” I pout as we drive through the Hollywood Hills in our new family SUV that Evan bought us the other day. Driving a Harley with a newborn was probably not going to work. We’ve been back from Paris for a month now and life has been very busy. Dirty Texas Records launched to huge fanfare. Sons of Brooklyn played their first concert under the Dirty Texas label and it was crazy; the fan girls were scary. Evan jokes they will be the next Dirty Texas, which I can easily see as they are super talented guys. I think deep down, Evan is a little jealous watching Sons of Brooklyn’s rise to fame just like Dirty Texas did all those years ago. The boys have been busy scouting new artists to sign to their label. Most nights Evan and the guys have been checking out dive bars and open mic nights across LA, searching for the newest star.
I don’t mind, I haven’t been sitting back waiting for my man to come home either. Derrick and I have been busy setting up our business. Thank God for my old assistant, Stacey, who we were able to convince to move halfway across the world to work with the two of us again. She was my right hand woman in Sydney, and we missed having her around. The three of us are back together again, it feels right. Stacey, bless her heart, looks after me at work, makes sure I am not overdoing it, makes sure I have eaten throughout the day, and that I sit down and rest. Maybe Evan’s spoken to her; I wouldn’t put it past him. It’s a fight we have had many times.
You’re overdoing it. He likes to yell.
I’m pregnant not an invalid. I usually hurl back.
It’s my baby too. Evans always responds with.
That gets to me because he’s right, but as if I am going to tell him that in the middle of a fight. It has to be hard for him to sit back and watch me grow this tiny human, our tiny human, and not be able to do anything about it. Watching my belly expand, hearing me moan that I have no energy and listening to me complain at the end of the day about how swollen my ankles are or watching me fall asleep at the drop of a hat—yeah, that must be hard on him too. But I am female and stubborn, you know all that I am woman hear me roar shit, I can still do everything even with a tiny human sucking up all my power. For thousands of years’ women have been having babies and working, so this one can too.
“Sweetheart, patience,” he says, taking my hand and kissing it. Smiling at me, he shows off those dimples that make my panties wet. Doesn’t take much to make my panties wet these days, pregnancy hormones have made me as horny as a college frat boy, jumping Evan every moment I can. At first Evan thought he had won the lottery with me jumping him as soon as he walked through the door at night. It didn’t really matter when it was, morning, afternoon, or the middle of the night waking up to find my mouth wrapped around his cock. But poor Mr. Rock Star needs his beauty sleep and just couldn’t keep up with the work load. Never thought I would see the infamous playboy, Evan Wyld, beg to have one night o
ff from sex. Of course I told the boys and he got shit from them for it. Christian sent him a case full of horny goat weed sexual supplements to help with his stamina, that didn’t go down so well. Actually, yeah it did because Evan had a point to prove which was usually up against a wall, on a couch, in the shower, in the car or against the kitchen bench. So I should really send Christian a thank you gift for that.
We’ve been looking for homes near Vanessa and Christian’s place in the Hollywood Hills since we got back and nothing seemed right. We wanted it to be away from the hustle and bustle of LA, maybe even have a little bit of land for Bean to play on but we also needed it to be close to West Hollywood near the Dirty Texas Records Studio and our boutique. We couldn’t believe our luck when the shop beside Evan’s work became available, Derrick and I took one look and knew it was perfect, it’s in a hipster neighborhood, next door to a major record label which is, and will be, full of celebrities. We are also tucked in amongst trendy cafes, bars and restaurants and it’s a favorite haunt for the paparazzi because of the celebrity crowd. We are hoping it pays off and they will see our little boutique and love it.
“Okay we are here.” Evan pulls me from my daydream. He’s typing in a code into the security system. We wait for the large, steel gates to peel back so we can enter. I’m not sure yet about the suburb, all the houses are surrounded by large gates blocking the homes from the street. I’m guessing it’s to keep prying eyes out, maybe? Finally, the gate opens and we drive up the steep driveway which is set amongst the rich, green yuccas and California palms with oversized terraced gardens, it has a cool desert vibe about it. We reach the top and are greeted by something straight out of Architectural Digest. A large glass house surrounded by stone, steel, and wood stands before us. It looks like it should be set against the stark tundra of the Scandinavian wilderness rather than the harsh heat of Los Angeles. I ask Evan where the agent is as I don’t see another car here.
“I wanted to show you the house myself.” We step out from our car, walking toward the large industrial door. Punching in another code, Evan swings the front door open for me.