by BJ Harvey
He looks from Jamie, then back to me. “What?”
“C’mon, Bry, what is it?” Ez calls out.
“You… how?” he stutters, blinking rapidly as his eyes dart down to the paper then back up again.
“Pending approval from my husband, the owner has agreed to let us buy the pile of sticks we helped turn into a home.”
I shoot another glance at Jamie, who’s grinning huge now, chuckling quietly at Bryant’s shock.
Bry’s mouth gapes, but he quickly snaps it closed again. His expression full of wonder as he takes a step forward to close the remaining distance between us. He cradles my jaw and leans in to touch his head to mine.
“You bought us the house?”
I reach out and rest my hands on his hips. “It’s where we found each other again. It’s where I fell even more in love with you than I already was—and that was already a hell of a lot. It’s our first house as a married couple. Why not make it our future home?”
“Wrecking ball?”
“Total destruction of any doubt that I’m going to be anywhere except by your side for the rest of our lives,” I whisper.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” Then he tilts his head, runs a hand into my hair, and kisses me with so much feeling, I’m barely able to stay standing.
Jamie clears his throat, and I’m smiling as we finally pull apart. Tears fall down my face at the happiness and absolute peace I find in Bryant’s eyes.
I turn to look at April, Ronnie, Delilah, and even Abi and find every one of them crying. Then I look at Ezra, who’s beaming with pride, and my parents and the Cooks, who are all grinning at each other, and Axel, whose cute little brows are drawn together in complete and utter confusion.
“Bry, do you have anything you want to say?” Jamie asks.
Bryant is full of wonder and surprise, his shock still plain to see. He turns around and hands the purchase and sale agreement for the house to Jax, who cups a hand on Bry’s shoulder and nods approvingly at him before letting him go. Facing me again, Bry snakes an arm around my waist and draws me in close.
“I remember what you said to me in this very same backyard when I was a clueless thirteen-year-old. I remember you telling me even way back then that you were only ever going to get married once, and when you said I do, your husband would know that you meant it and that he’d be the only man you’d ever love from that day forward.”
I suck in a breath, my eyes flooding with tears.
He reaches up and sweeps my cheeks with his thumbs, his love, and adoration completely undeniable. “I knew the first time I saw you again that this was the chance I’d been waiting the last twelve years for, and that I would do absolutely everything in my power to make sure you’d never wanna leave again. What I didn’t count on was it being the easiest fight of my life because every step of the way, you’ve been right there with me.”
“You’d already won me the day I met you,” I whisper, loving the way his gaze turns soft.
“And every day for the rest of our lives, I’m going to be there. Through the hard times, the easy times, the challenging and the fantastic times, I’ll be there. I want to build a life with you, a family. I want everything with you because that’s exactly what you’ve given me,” he finishes.
“Well, by the power invested in me by absolutely no one, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Jamie announces.
Bryant is beaming as he lowers his head to kiss me. I almost fall into my usual Bry haze, but manage to keep a level head just before his lips make contact and gently push on his chest.
I step back, loving his sexy, confused frown. “I kind of have one more thing to give my husband.”
“Wasn’t a house enough?” Cohen calls out, earning a round of laughter.
“It can’t be your V-card; that’s long gone,” Jax teases, which makes Bryant snort.
“Jax!” Ronnie says, shaking her head.
“Dad,” Ax whispers. “What’s a v-card?”
I tune him out though because the butterflies in my stomach are whipping up a storm and the nerves are kicking in. That’s because there’s one last thing I’ve been holding close to my chest, and now is as good a time as any to reveal it.
Dipping my chin, I look down and take a deep, fortifying breath. I lift my gaze to find Bryant staring at me.
I hook a hand behind my back, and as planned, Delilah discreetly places a final white box in my hand, one she’s been holding for me since just before I walked down the aisle.
I bring it around and pass it to Bry.
“Another memento?” he asks with a wry smile.
I nod toward the box. “Open it,” I whisper.
I’m sure my heart stops as I stare at his face, not wanting to miss a single moment as I wait for him to look.
Bryant
Placing my index finger under the lid of the box, wondering what the hell is left for her to give me. I’ve got the love of my life, I’ve got the house we’ve renovated and lived in. I can’t think of anything else that she could—
I go completely still. I’m stuck on the piece of plastic nestled inside the box. The white stick with the word pregnant on a small screen staring up at me. I jerk my head to find Faith biting her lip, her eyes wide and cautious as she waits for my reaction.
She doesn’t have to wait for long. I drop the box and wrap my arm around her waist, slowly drawing her in against me and bringing her face right in close to mine.
“I only found out this morning. I thought I might—”
There are soft murmurs around us, but nothing compares to the quiet, happy sob coming from my wife. A sound that represents everything and that I know I’ll never forget for the rest of my life.
“Fuck, I love you,” I growl before dipping her backwards and giving her a long, slow, and very deep kiss. I languidly stroke my tongue against hers, groaning when she gives it all back to me, not giving a single shit that we’ve got an audience as I set about exploring every inch of my mouth.
The sound of applause and catcalls fill the air, but I ignore it all, too lost in the taste, smell, and feel of my one and only forever love.
There is one voice that does break through, and of course, it’s Axel’s. “Dammit, why didn’t I bring my swear jar? I could’ve made a killing. Son of a bit—”
A chorus of “Axel!” rings out, and I feel Faith smile against my lips but nothing—not even Ax being Ax—can tear me away from kissing my wife right now.
My life began four months ago, and within the next year, it’s going to change all over again when our baby is born.
There’s a lot to be said for working your way back. It’s just that in our case, it was Faith working her way back to me the way she needed to, and for me to continue loving her the only way I’ve ever known how.
Completely.
Keep reading for an exclusive sneak peek of Hard Work—Cohen and Skye’s story.
Cohen
12 months Earlier
Another day, another dollar. Or, in this case, another night, another patient.
I hand off a code-three patient at Northwestern Hospital’s ER and my stomach lets out a loud rumbling growl.
“I’ll do the call sheet and buy dinner if you drive,” my EMT partner, Corey, says, bumping my shoulder with a laugh as we walk out into the chilly night.
“I definitely need food. We haven’t eaten since lunch and it’s been call after call since this morning,” I say, swinging open the ambulance door then jumping behind the steering wheel. Corey hops in the passenger side and picks up the clipboard to do the paperwork.
“Exactly. Besides, I’ve seen you hangry, and that’s not safe for anyone.”
“Hey, I’m not that bad.”
“Dude, you once snarled at the McDonald’s cashier when she said the fries would take two minutes.”
“Look, she caught me on a bad day,” I say, still feeling guilty about the look of fear on the woman’s face. Before that, she’d been kind
of flirty and although I had no intention of going there, I’ve never seen the harm in not returning the favor. It’s the gentlemanly side of me. Well, that’s what I tell myself anyway.
Corey chuckles. “I wouldn’t inflict you on anyone in that state.”
“My appetite is both a blessing and a curse,” I say with a grin. “Blame my mother.”
Twenty minutes and a good burger and fries meal later, we’re back on the road, heading for the station.
“So I’ve got something to tell you…” Corey says, breaking the comfortable silence in the bus.
A quick side glance while we wait at a set of lights shows my EMT partner for the past two years clenching his jaw and not looking at me.
“Cor, what gives?” I ask when he doesn’t elaborate. He sighs, flips a completed call sheet over so it’s ready the next call, then dumps it back on the dash.
“Look, I was going to tell you sooner, but the Captain thought it was best to wait until you could actually meet her.”
“Meet who, Cor?”
“I’m going back to college in January so I’ve given my notice and your new partner is coming by the station at the end of shift to meet the guys—and you.”
I grip the steering wheel and clench my teeth as we take off again.
It’s not that I’m not happy for him. But it sounds like I’m the last to know, especially since there’s a new girl I’m about to meet. Yet another new partner to learn how to work with.
“And, um… saying she’s new might be a bit of a stretch…”
Oh shit. Is this like the ghosts of girlfriends past? Is it that stage-five clinger from dispatch I had a brief grope-and-stroke with at a Christmas party at HQ a few years ago. Or there was that female firefighter candidate who slipped and just “happened” to find herself naked and lying on top of me in the back of the ambulance six months ago.
“What do you mean?” Please no clinger. Please no clinger.
“Your new partner is Marco and Luca’s baby sister. Which means you can’t—”
I roll my eyes. Once a man whore, apparently always one. “Cor, I’ve only ever been with two CFD employees. Two!”
“And the fact I know that,” he says with a smirk, “and Marco and Luca know that, means you have absolutely no chance of surviving with your dick intact if you even look at their sister sideways.”
I sigh and shake my head, flicking on the turning signal and pulling in to the firehouse driveway.
Backing the bus into our designated spot in the garage. I leave the engine idling and turn to face my partner.
To his credit, he does look apologetic for springing this on me. “Look, I know it’s out of the blue but knowing you, you’ll have her trained up to be just like me in no time.”
“Smartass,” I say with a laugh. “But Marco’s sister? Really? Isn’t there a policy about siblings working in the same firehouse?”
“Well, considering we’ve already got two brothers, what’s a sister added to the mix? Besides, if she’s anything like Marco, I bet you she cooks like an Italian nonna which means…”
“Sexist much?” I say, but I can’t help but smile. Corey is twenty-four going on eighteen most days.
He rolls his eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“Bet Marco would love to hear it.” His mouth gapes open before he recovers and narrows his eyes.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
I shrug. Who knows? “I guess it would be a shame if you couldn’t walk by your first day back at college.”
“You’re such an asshole,” he says with a grin.
“Just you wait, Cook. I’ll get one over on you before I leave.”
There’s still a feeling of unease at the bottom of my gut as to exactly what’s going to happen with this surprise new partner of mine.
Hopping out of the ambulance, I’m stopped in my tracks by Marco, and moments later, Luca, their expressions unreadable yet terrifying at the same time.
I anticipated this show of brotherly love. I just don’t entirely understand why I’m the one getting the confrontation treatment. I’m not the only single guy who works here. Although I am the one with the most recent record of fraternizing in-house.
“You’ve got a sister, right?” Marco says by way of a welcome.
“Hello to you too,” I reply with a cocky smirk. I’m playing with fire, but I’m a smartass when I’m eleven hours in to a shift. I’m a rebel when I’m tired. “And yes, Marco, I have a sister. No, I won’t touch yours.” I reach out, cup his shoulder, and shoot him a grin. “Good chat,” I say with a nod, stepping around the brothers and walking across the garage and into the main dining room and kitchen, leaving Corey behind with my welcoming committee.
Scotty and Zach, two of our firefighters, are sitting on the couch.
“You get warned off?” Zach asks, quirking a brow. “I gave Marco a good pep talk on your behalf.”
I roll my eyes. “Thanks, man. Just what I needed.”
Zach holds his hands up. “Hey. My best friend has three sisters, one of whom is now my wife. I know the drill because I was the drill.”
“I don’t shit where I eat, Zach. It’s far too messy, and I avoid messy as much as possible,” I reply. Zach gives an approving nod before turning back to the TV.
“Cohen?” my captain says, walking into the room.
“Yes, sir?”
“I need to talk to you before you leave. Grab Corey and come see me, yeah?”
“Sure thing. But I already know I’m getting a new partner.”
The captain gives a curt nod. “Good. Then all you’ve gotta do is meet Skye. She’s waiting in my office.” With a sweeping look around the room and the rest of the crew, he disappears again.
“You’re in trouble, Co,” Scotty pipes up.
I walk into the kitchen, open the fridge, and grab a bottle of water. “Yeah? And why’s that?”
“’Cause you haven’t seen your new partner yet.”
“She’s just another person to work with. Anything else isn’t even a possibility. We work, we maybe become friends, and then we go home at the end of our shift and do it all again two days later.” My lips twitch. “Do you know it’s possible to just be friends with women, Scotty?”
“Where’s the fun in that?” he asks. “Zach here did it.”
“I only did it because I couldn’t resist her,” Zach replies.
I point at Zach and pin Scotty with a narrowed glare. “Exactly. Why cause trouble when there’s no need to? I’m not that pent up that I’m panting after every woman with a pulse. Unlike someone…” Scotty’s response is to flip me the bird. Zac just laughs.
Corey walks in, Marco and Luca following behind him.
“We good?” I ask Marco as he reaches the kitchen counter.
“Yep. You keep things above board with my sister and we’ll stay being fine.”
“Jesus, Mar. I’m not going to bang you sister!”
“Good to know,” an amused voice says, coming from the doorway to the offices. “It’s always best to set boundaries right at the start of a new partnership.”
I turn toward her and stop, my arm hoisted halfway to my mouth, which has dropped open like one of those Scream masks. Seems Marco and Luca had a reason to give the big brother speech, because Skye is infinitely better-looking than those two. She’s fucking stunning: straight platinum blond hair that stops at her shoulders, mischievous sapphire-blue eyes, curved lips painted sinful red, and a body that is all woman. Fuck.
I shake my head, but not before I make a point of looking her up and down and sneaking a side glance at two glaring Italian stallions looking ready to cause damage.
“Oh for God’s sake, boys,” Skye says, narrowing her eyes at her brothers. “I’m not going to jump my new partner before I’ve even got to know him.”
“Or at all,” I add. Her lips quirk up at that as she turns her attention back to me and gives me the same down-and-up treatment. “Yeah, nah. Not gonna happen. I’m all work and
no play.”
“Where’s the fun in that?” Scotty pipes up from the cheap seats.
Corey, ever the peacemaker, steps forward and enters the fray. “Just ignore all of them, Skye.” He holds out his arm and they shake hands. “Cohen is not nearly as bad as you’ve heard. He’s only had to issue one restraining order that I know of.”
Skye’s eyes widen before dancing with amusement. “Oh, so he attracts fire bunnies then?”
“Or girls from dispatch,” Marco says. Laughter from the others fills the air.
I sigh. “That’s was an isolated cas—”
“Don’t forget the candidate who lasted a whole two weeks after hooking up with our resident EMT Casanova.”
Skye’s mouth curls into a knowing smirk. “I guess I don’t need to come up with a nickname for you then. Casanova it is.”
Corey laughs, and Marco walks over to his sister and throws his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. “Already giving Co shit. You’re gonna fit in just fine, brat.”
I lean against the bench and watch the two of them, my eyes meeting Skye’s as Luca and Corey join them.
It’s not that she doesn’t tick all my boxes physically, because Skye Rossi shot to the head of the class in that respect, but I meant it when I said I don’t shit where I eat, and I need my job to get money.
And I need funds to move out of my parents’ house and get my own place. I also need to be able to work in order to earn the money I need to get my own place, and I won’t be able to do that if Marco and Luca Rossi rip me apart limb by limb for messing with their baby sister. So really, the decision is easy.
There will be no touching, no kissing, and definitely no screwing my new partner. I’m friend-zoning my new partner at first meet.
Besides, it’s a hell of a lot easier to work the hours we do if you actually like your partner.
Decision made—as if there was ever a question—I cross the kitchen toward Skye and hold out my arm. Her skin is warm as she slides her hand against my palm and shakes it with a surprisingly firm grip. “Nice to meet you, partner,” she says with a knowing expression.