Troublemaker (New Orleans Bourdons Book 2)

by Lisa B. Kamps

  She was quiet for a long time. Too long. Disappointment swept over me and I braced myself against the counter before I did something totally stupid, like collapse.

  Nothing I said had helped. If anything, I'd probably made it worse. And I knew, right then and there, what I needed to say. What I wanted to say. I'd known for a while how I felt but I'd pushed it away, telling myself it didn't make sense. Telling myself it was just my imagination. Telling myself it was too soon.

  It was bullshit. All of it. When the hell had I become such a coward?

  I caught Morgan's gaze and held it with the strength of my own, refusing to hide how I felt. Could she see? Maybe she could, but I wasn't going to take any chances.

  "I love you, Morgan."

  The words fell between us, harsh and real and honest. Silence followed for several long seconds, long enough to tell me that I'd screwed up, worse than I had when I'd hit Brandon.

  I opened my mouth, ready to apologize—for all the good it would do. I never got the chance to get the words out because Morgan was suddenly in my arms, her body pressed against mine, her head nestled against my shoulder. I hesitated but only for a split second before I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her even closer.

  We stayed that way for a long time. Hell, we could have stayed like that forever as far as I was concerned, but Morgan started to ease away from me. Not out of my arms, but just enough that she could tilt her head back and look at me.

  "I love you, too. I thought it was too soon. That what I was feeling didn't make sense. I—I've never loved anyone before so I thought..." Her voice trailed off and she started to look away. I caught her chin with my hand and turned her face back to mine, then dipped my head and caught her mouth in a lingering kiss that was over too soon.

  She settled against me with a small sigh that echoed everything I felt. Several minutes ticked by before she spoke, her voice soft and filled with amused wonder.

  "Brandon said love doesn't necessarily follow a schedule."

  "Brandon said that? Your ex-fiancé?"

  "The one and only."

  "Are you trying to make me jealous again?"

  She stiffened and frowned up at me. "What? No, of course not—"

  "I was only teasing."

  "You have no reason to be jealous of Brandon."

  "I know."

  "No, I don't think you do. I mean, did you know he's married now?"

  "Married? Was it a rebound thing?" I was teasing her, of course, but I don't think she realized it.

  "No. He's married to the person he really loves." She hesitated for several seconds before coming to a decision she'd obviously been debating. "His, um, his husband's name is Brad."

  "Brad? Seriously? Did they plan that on purpose?"

  "Did you not hear me? I said his husband."

  "Yeah, I heard you."

  "You're not surprised?"

  "No. I kind of thought that was the case when you told me you weren't his type."

  "Oh. And, um, you're okay with that?"

  "With what?"

  "That he, you know, has a husband."

  "Why wouldn't I be?"

  "I don't know. I guess it might freak out some people."

  "I'm not some people."

  "Good. I mean, I didn't think you were but...I like Brandon. I was hoping you would, too. I mean, I have a feeling we might be seeing more of him, especially if, you know, I'm living here."

  "Morgan?"

  Something in my voice must have caught her attention because she looked up at me, her expression a little worried at first. "Yeah?"

  "Brandon seems like a nice guy but I think we can find better things to talk about right now other than your ex-fiancé."

  "We can?"

  "Yeah, definitely."

  "Like what?"

  Instead of answering, I dipped my head and claimed her mouth with mine. The kiss was deep. Slow. Filled with heat and passion and every ounce of emotion that threatened to overwhelm me.

  We found a lot to talk about that night—and some of it even involved actual words.

  Epilogue

  Morgan

  One year later.

  I stepped back and studied the table with a critical eye, worried that I'd forgotten something. Each place setting had been carefully set, with handwritten name cards in front of each plate. The look was probably a little more formal than it needed to be, especially against the heavy plank table that Dylan had found in some antique country store just outside the city, but I had wanted to go all out for our first official Thanksgiving as a married couple.

  Married.

  I stared down at the wedding ring on my left hand, still a little stunned that we were married—and had been for seven months. I knew some of Dylan's teammates thought we had rushed into things, just like I knew some of them had expected a baby announcement to immediately follow the wedding announcement. None had, of course. We didn't get married because I was pregnant, we got married because it was the right thing for us.

  Brandon had been right: love didn't necessarily come with a schedule.

  I gave myself a small mental shake and went back to surveying the table. It was perfect. At least, as close to perfect as I could make it. Now I just had to worry about the meal.

  I walked back to the kitchen, surveying the rest of the apartment as I moved through. making sure everything was in its right place. We lived in the same building but had moved to a larger apartment, a sprawling three bedroom with soaring ceilings and large windows and a huge kitchen. I still thought the place was too big for just the two of us but Dylan insisted the size of the kitchen itself was worth it, since it gave me plenty of room to practice and experiment with cooking.

  Today, though, I worried the place might be too small. Dylan's family was visiting for the weekend, his parents and brother and sister. Right now, they were out doing some sightseeing in the Quarter, which gave me some much-needed alone time to fret and worry over dinner.

  Besides Dylan's family, Jacqui and Addy and Nathan were joining us, along with Brad and Brandon. That made eleven people, the largest group I'd ever cooked for.

  I pushed the nerves away and focused on making sure everything was as close to perfect as it could be. I'd opted for a buffet-style dinner, figuring that would be easier than individual servings. In addition to the traditional turkey and stuffing, we were also having some local food. Nothing too fancy or extravagant—I wasn't sure what Dylan's family would like—but just enough to offer them a small taste of New Orleans.

  I had just dipped my finger into the remoulade dressing when the front door opened and closed. A few seconds later, Dylan walked into the kitchen, his hazel eyes sparkling in his flushed face. I smile and looked past him, expecting to see his family following on his heels.

  "I ditched them."

  "You what?"

  "I ditched them. It wasn't easy but—"

  "Dylan! Why would you do such a thing?"

  He marched straight toward me, determination blazing in his eyes. "Because I need some time to do this."

  His hands closed over my face a second before his mouth descended on mine. I immediately melted into him, my body seeking the warmth and closeness of his own. I would never get tired of his kisses. His taste. His touch.

  The kiss ended too soon yet left us both a little breathless. Would it always be this way between us? Yes, I thought it would. There was something in Dylan's smile that told me he was thinking the same thing. I started to ask him, just to see if I was right, but the front door opened again. A few seconds later, happy voices filled the apartment, calling out to us.

  Dylan bit back a groan then dropped his forehead against mine with a sigh. "Whose idea was it to do this again?"

  "Yours."

  "Yeah, I was afraid you were going to say that."

  I laughed and leaned up on my toes for one last kiss, then stepped away as our guests filed into the kitchen. Not just Dylan's family, but Jacqui and Addy and Nathan as well.


  Addy stopped and inhaled, a small smile curling her mouth. "It smells delicious in here."

  "I have to agree. I think you may have outdone yourself this time, cher." Jacqui reached for one of the small crab balls I'd made as an appetizer but I was faster and smacked her hand away. She stared at me with a kind of combined horror and amazement that made everyone else laugh.

  "And there's that sass I love about you, cher."

  "It's not sass."

  "It is. Now own it." She stepped back and surveyed the array of drinks I'd set out on the far counter, then proceeded to create some kind of concoction for everyone. I'd had the foresight to ask her to oversee that part of the gathering, since I was still out of my league when it came to anything more complicated than opening a bottle of beer.

  Thirty minutes later, everyone was gathered around the table, eating and complimenting me between bites. I finally relaxed enough to enjoy my own meal, convinced I'd done the best I could.

  I glanced around the table, surprised at the deep contentment settling over me. It wasn't something I had ever expected to feel. Not just the contentment, but this sense of belonging. Of family.

  My gaze slid to Brandon and I wondered again how different things might have turned out if I hadn't run away the morning of our wedding. If we had gone through with it, would he have found his happiness with Brad?

  Would I have found my own happiness with Dylan?

  I didn't know but I liked to think that maybe we would have, that we were each destined to find the ones we belonged with.

  I shifted on the bench and caught Dylan's gaze, not surprised in the least to find him watching me. I hadn't been looking for love, had never really believed in it, let alone thought it was possible.

  But it was. I felt it in the way my heart staggered and raced every time Dylan looked at me. I felt it in the heat of his gaze and the promise of forever in every one of his touches and kisses.

  I'd been running away that morning a little more than a year ago, convinced I'd be better off on my own. Dylan had shown me differently, in ways I couldn't even begin to name. My days of running were over because I knew now that running away never solved anything. At least, not usually. I just happened to be lucky enough to run in the right direction that day.

  And the love in Dylan's eyes when he stared at me said he felt the same way.

  I still didn't know what the future held but it didn't matter. I had my friends, my new and unconventional family, and Dylan.

  And if my hunch was right, our family would soon be getting a little bigger.

  ~ The End ~

  If you enjoyed Troublemaker, I hope you'll take a few minutes to leave a review. Even a short one helps other readers discover my books—and it means so much to me! Thank you!

  Be sure to keep reading for information about Heartbreaker, the next title in the New Orleans Bourdons series!

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  HEARTBREAKER

  New Orleans Bourdons #3

  Meet the men of the New Orleans Bourdons! A brand-new hockey team is in town and their sizzling antics are turning up the heat. The ice won't be the only thing melting in this exciting new series from USA Today Bestselling author Lisa B. Kamps.

  Payback has never been sweeter...

  Tristan Holland, the heartbreaker. That's me. The damn nickname followed me to New Orleans and my new teammates haven't let it go. Maybe I deserve it after last year's scandal but at least I learned my lesson: never get involved with your teammate's sister.

  Then I meet Kaitlyn Shore. There's just something about her I can't ignore. Something that goes deeper than her pouty smile and secretive eyes. Something more than those drop-dead curves that haunt my dreams.

  She's another teammate's sister. Getting involved with her is the last thing I should do but I can't help it. And you know what they say about karma--something tells me that this time, I won't be the one walking away unscathed...

  Don't miss Heartbreaker, the next title in this sizzling new series, now available for pre-order at your favorite vendor!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

  USA Today Bestselling Author Lisa B. Kamps writes steamy romance with real-life characters and relatable stories that evoke deep emotion. She likes her men hard, her bed soft, her coffee strong, her whiskey neat, and her wine chilled...and when it comes to sports, hockey is the only thing that matters!

  Lisa currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two sons (who are mostly sorta-kinda out of the house), one very spoiled Border Collie, two cats with major attitude, several head of cattle, and entirely too many chickens to count. When she's not busy writing or chasing animals, she's cheering loudly for her favorite hockey team, the Washington Capitals--or going through withdrawal and waiting for October to roll back around!

  Interested in reaching out to Lisa? She'd love to hear from you:

  Website: www.LisaBKamps.com

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  Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/lisabkamps

  Other titles by this author:

  COVER SIX SECURITY

  Covered By A Kiss, A CSS Novella, Book 0

  The Protector: MAC, Book 1

  The Guardian: DARYL, Book 2

  The Defender: RYDER, Book 3

  The Warrior: DERRICK, Book 4

  The Rescuer: WOLF, Book 5

  The Savior: COLTER, Book 6

  The Hero: ROMAN, Book 7

  THE NEW ORLEANS BOURDONS

  Rule Breaker, Book 1

  Troublemaker, Book 2

  Heartbreaker, Book 3

  Risk Taker, Book 4

  THE YORK BOMBERS

  Playing The Game, Book 1

  Playing To Win, Book 2

  Playing For Keeps, Book 3

  Playing It Up, Book 4

  Playing It Safe, Book 5

  The York Bombers Boxed Set 1

  Books 1-3

  Playing For Love, Book 6

  Playing His Part, Book 7

  Playing It Cool, Book 8

  THE BALTIMORE BANNERS

  Crossing the Line, Book 1

  Game Over, Book 2

  Blue Ribbon Summer, Book 3

  Body Check, Book 4

  First Shot At Love, A Baltimore Banners Short Story

  Break Away, Book 5

  Playmaker, A Baltimore Banners Intermission Novella

  Delay of Game, Book 6

  Shoot Out, Book 7

  The Baltimore Banners: 1st Period Trilogy

  Books 1-3 Boxed set

  The Baltimore Banners: 2nd Period Trilogy

  Books 4-6 Boxed set

  On Thin Ice, Book 8

  Coach's Challenge, A Baltimore Banners Intermission Novella

  One-Timer, Book 9

  Face Off, Book 10

  Game Misconduct, Book 11

  Christmas Interference, A Baltimore Banners Intermission Novella

  Fighting To Score, Book 12

  Matching Penalties, Book 13

  THE CHESAPEAKE BLADES

  Winning Hard, Book 1

  Loving Hard, Book 2

  Playing Hard, B
ook 3

  FIREHOUSE FOURTEEN

  Once Burned, Book 1

  Playing With Fire, Book 2

  Breaking Protocol, Book 3

  Into the Flames, Book 4

  Second Alarm, Book 5

  Feel The Burn, Book 6

  Coming Soon

  STAND-ALONE TITLES

  Emeralds and Gold: A Treasury of Irish Short Stories (anthology)

  Finding Dr. Right

  Time To Heal

  Dangerous Passion

  Dangerous Heat

  Illicit Affair

  Coming Soon