Work Me Up

by Wylder, Penny

  My parents don’t always understand it. My decision to be independent, to not rely on their money anymore. My dad supports it, though, and Mom is always saying she’s proud of me for doing it. I guess after they had to take care of me for so long, I wanted to prove to them — and more importantly, to myself — that I’m really okay now. I’m capable of handling my own finances, my own jobs, my own life.

  And I owe all of that newfound freedom and confidence to Antonio. Because he believed in me. He saw a hard worker, a reliable, fast-learning, brave girl, where everyone else only saw someone broke and drowning in her own memories. Someone who had let her trauma consume her, instead of overcoming it to fight a new day.

  I still miss my brother. Every day. There’s a hole in my heart where he ought to be, and I can’t help thinking of all the memories that would be sweeter with him here. I can’t help wishing I got the chance to learn how Daniel would have liked Antonio; if they’d have gotten along, and what they would have had in common. Or what they would have distrusted each other over when Antonio and I first started dating, since Daniel had always been a protective big brother when it came to me.

  But I know that in the end, Daniel would have approved, because just like Mom and Dad, he would have come to see how well Antonio treats me. How much he cares about me and how he pushes me to be a better version of myself.

  “This is all because of you,” I shout at Antonio now.

  He shakes his head, hard. “You did this, Selena. You’re the one who fought through your fear and overcame it, not me.”

  “But you taught me how,” I counter. “So now it’s my turn to push you to grow, when you need it.” A smirk appears at the corner of my mouth. “And right now, you need a push into taking breaks now and then, Antonio. I know you love your job, and so do I. The garage has been so fun and given us both so many great memories. But it’s okay to take vacations. It’s okay to breathe now and then.”

  He laughs, shaking his head. But I can tell from the look on his face that he’s really touched. That he never expected this. And finally, he nods, slowly. “All right,” he calls. “You win. Vacation it is.” Then he tilts his head back and lets out a loud whoop, which is immediately swallowed by the wind of the highway.

  I let out a loud call, echoing his, and then I crank the music back up and step on the gas, racing right up to the speed limit, and just a few miles past it, because fuck it. I know what I’m doing now. I feel confident again, in a way I never would have been able to achieve without the man in my passenger seat.

  We drive all the way up until the late afternoon. Finally, I take the exit where I planned out our first stop on this road trip: a vineyard where we’ll eat dinner, go on a wine tasting with a private vintner, and then stay overnight. I’m so excited that I can’t stop grinning when we pull up out front of the place.

  But the grin falls away when I turn to look at Antonio in the passenger seat. Because he’s looking at me so intensely it nearly stops my heart.

  “Antonio?”

  In response to the question I can’t quite voice, he reaches over the console to catch my chin in his. Then he tugs me into a deep, hard kiss. When we break apart, his expression remains that same strangely fierce look. “I love you so fucking much,” he murmurs, and my stomach does a backflip, the same way it always does at hearing those words.

  I could hear him say that every day for the rest of my life, and I would never get tired of it. “You good?” I ask, a little hint of hesitation catching in my voice. “I know it’s a lot to spring on you. But you’re always surprising me, and I wanted to surprise you too, so I—”

  “This is better than good,” he interrupts me. “I’m better than good. Selena…” He shakes his head, staring at me like I’m the only person in the entire world.

  That’s how I feel whenever I’m with him. Whenever he looks at me so deeply like this. I feel like it’s just the two of us alone out here in the whole wide world. And I love that sensation.

  “No one has ever done anything like this for me,” he says softly. “You are so fucking perfect.”

  I smile. Feel a faint flush coming to my cheeks. “Well.” I wave my hand, smirking. “I don’t know about perfect.”

  “Yes. Perfect.” He kisses me again, and I sink against him. And I would have lost all sense of time or place, would have let him take it further, if the valet for the vineyard hadn’t cleared his throat quietly, then, standing as he is just outside of our car.

  We break apart with a laugh, and obediently climb out of the car, before I toss him the keys. My heart skips a little when he pulls away with my car, after unloading the bags from my trunk. “God, is this how you felt when I shoved that tree into Betty?” I ask softly, watching a stranger drive my baby.

  “Yes.” Antonio chuckles and wraps an arm around my waist easily.

  I lean back against him, smirking. “I’d apologize again, but since it wound up leading me to you… I can’t really say I’m all that sorry for wrecking her.”

  He laughs, and I can feel his laughter vibrate against my ribcage, all the way through my body. Then he bends down to kiss the top of my head. “Don’t worry. I’m not sorry at all, either.” Then, still keeping his arm looped around me, he turns to lead us into the vineyard.

  Dinner turns out to be a multicourse affair, with a different wine pairing for every course. It’s the kind of meal my parents would take me out to on a regular basis, back when I was growing up, but with Antonio here, I learn to appreciate the fanciness of it all over again.

  Also, I can’t lie, some of the courses like the duck pâté? I’d prefer Antonio’s casual sandwiches back in the garage over it.

  But for the most part, the food is delicious, the wine even better. Which is why I can’t figure out why, by the end of the meal, Antonio looks so pensive again. So lost in thought and gazing off into space.

  It worries me. The same way that intense look he gave me in the car worried me earlier. “Is everything okay?” I ask, biting my lower lip. I nudge his arm, trying to get him to look at me again.

  But he keeps staring away, and it makes my heart beat a little bit faster.

  “Antonio…”

  Then he turns toward me again with the same fiercely loving expression he wore in the car earlier today, when we stopped outside the vineyard. “I wanted to do this differently,” he says, and something tightens behind my navel, even as my pulse skitters in my veins.

  Do what differently? I want to ask, except the words stick in my throat, and I can’t quite make my mouth form them.

  “I had a whole plan,” he says. Then he cracks a faint smile, as if to reassure me.

  But my heart won’t stop racing. Because I don’t know what’s going on, or what he’s talking about right now.

  “You weren’t the only one planning something big for our anniversary.” He winks. “But you’ve got a whole road trip for us, so that beats my original idea. So, here it goes anyway.”

  “Here what goes?” I demand, confusion warring with adrenaline in my veins.

  But then he’s pushing back his chair, sinking to the ground beside me on one knee, and now I can’t even hear my own thoughts, let alone my pulse or my breath, which suddenly feels trapped inside my chest, because I can’t even make myself inhale.

  “Selena Brown,” he says, in a voice that is both unfamiliar and so, so familiar. Because he sounds choked up, and I’ve never heard Antonio choked by emotion before. But I recognize it, because that’s how I feel right now, too. “Ever since the day I met you, I’ve known I wanted to make you mine. Over the last year, you’ve made me happier than I have ever felt, in my entire life.”

  He quirks a little smile. “I was going to do this at our sunset spot, with a whole bunch of champagne and all, but… Like I said.” He winks. “This is better.”

  Then he draws a small, square velvet box from deep within one of his pockets.

  And I really can’t breathe now.

  “Antonio…”
>
  He reaches up to take my hand. My left hand, which trembles in his, my fingertips shaking so hard it’s a wonder he can hang on to me at all. “Selena, will you make me the happiest man in the world?” As he speaks, he pops open the top of the box.

  Nestled inside the dark blue velvet sits the prettiest ring I have ever seen in my life. It’s a simple princess cut diamond, but big and bright, with so much fire it flashes in my eyes as I gaze at it now.

  Or maybe those are the tears that have started to form along my lash line. Or some combination of both. I clamp my lips together, hard, because if I don’t, I’m going to start crying before he even finishes speaking.

  “Will you be my wife?” he asks, those dark eyes of his locked on mine.

  “Yes,” I mouth. The word comes out voiceless, not even a sound. “Yes,” I repeat, louder. “Yes!” I practically shout, and it reminds me of that time in his car, when we first drove around the parking lot, and he shouted that he loved me.

  It also reminds me that there are other people here, because as soon as I shout it, a smattering of applause breaks out. We glance up to see the few other patrons and staff in the restaurant applauding. Then I glance back at Antonio, just as he slides the ring onto my finger.

  It’s a perfect fit. Just like him.

  I grab his hands and pull him to his feet, standing alongside him too. My arms wrap around his neck as he bends to kiss me, his lips sinking into mine, searing hot. We break apart, and I’m laughing, blushing, my cheeks bright red.

  “Damn it,” I say, swatting his chest. Then I leave my hand sprawled there, so I can study the diamond up close.

  “What?” His eyes sparkle with amusement. “Are you mad at me for something?”

  “Yes!” I shake my head, but I can’t stop smiling either, in spite of myself. “I planned this trip as a surprise for you. But you still managed to surprise me even more.”

  He laughs. Then he dips down to kiss me again, slower this time, like the slow heating of a car engine as it revs along a highway. Our whole life feels just like that now, in fact. An open road of possibility, just waiting for us to floor the gas, and speed along it.

  I can’t wait to see where Antonio and I race to next.

  * * *

  Looking for another steamy read? Check out Hard Fiancé!

  Phade is an alpha MMA fighter who needs to fix his image. When Sylvia gets hired to be his fake fiancé, she never expects to have a real connection with this bad boy.

  And he definitely never expects to fall for her.

  Hard Fiancé is a HOT fake engagement story with an alpha hero you won't forget!

  Read Hard Fiancé here! The blurb is below!

  Looking for another story that’s almost too big to handle? Check out BIG MAN, a hot second chance romance between a city girl and her very, VERY big crush. He thinks he’s too big for her. But she accepts his challenge.

  Read Big Man here!

  Want to be the first to learn when a new title is released? Follow me on Amazon!

  Hard Fiancé Blurb:

  Life is hard. Love is harder.

  Phade is the hottest new fighter in the pro leagues. People adore his attitude, but that same edge is putting him at risk of losing his treasured million dollar contract.

  That's where I come in.

  Phade's boss is my step-dad. If I can show him I have what it takes to fix the gritty fighter's public image, I know he'll give me my dream job. I'll do anything...

  Even pretend to be the bad boy's new fiancee.

  That's the key word-- pretend. We have to be purely professional.

  But our first meeting ends up with us kissing. Whoops.

  One huge mistake leads to another, and before I know it, I'm sucker-punched by my feelings for this mess of a man.

  Can I tame his wild heart?

  Or is he too broken to love me back?

  Read Hard Fiancé here!

  Books By Penny Wylder

  Filthy Boss

  Her Dad’s Friend

  The Virgin Intern

  Her Dirty Professor

  The Pool Boy

  Get Me Off

  Caught Together

  Selling Out to the Billionaire

  Falling for the Babysitter

  Lip Service

  Full Service

  Expert Service

  The Billionaire’s Virgin

  The Billionaire’s Secret Babies

  Her Best Friend’s Dad

  Own Me

  The Billionaire’s Gamble

  Seven Days With Her Boss

  Virgin in the Middle

  The Virgin Promise

  First and Last

  Tease

  Spread

  Bang

  Second Chance Stepbrother

  Dirty Promise

  Sext

  Quickie

  Bed Shaker

  Deep in You

  The Billionaire’s Toy

  Buying the Bride

  Dating My Friend’s Daughter

  Big Man

  Trapped with My Teacher

  My 5 Bosses

  Good Girls Say Yes

  His Big Offer

  Dangerous Love

  The Roommate’s Baby

  Perfect Boss

  Cowboy Husband

  Knocked Up By Her Brother’s Enemy

  Flirt

  Lust

  Claim

  The Wife Arrangement

  Big Mountain

  The Baby Maker’s Club

  Prom King

  The Single Dad Arrangement

  Getting Her Back

  Hate to Lose You

  Drink Me Up

  For Her

  For Us

  Valentine’s Day Virgin

  She Is Mine: Prequel to the Billionaire’s CamGirl

  The Billionaire’s CamGirl

  His Shy Virgin

  Good Time Doctor

  Basket Stuffer

  Wife for Now

  Rich Groom

  Rich Soldier

  Rich Player

  Summer With My Dad’s Best Friend

  Married to the Secret Billionaire

  Overnight Wife

  The Marriage Dare

  Married to my Dad's Best Friend

  Faking it for Mr. Right

  Hooking Up with my Dad’s Best Friend

  Kissing my Dad’s Friend

  The Convenient Wife

  Her Big Neighbor

  The Husband Game

  Hard Fiancé