Love and Pancakes, page 27
“Us?” I ask, already liking the sound of that.
“Yes, us. My hours might be a little crazy like yours, but I think we can make it work. Don’t you?”
I want to scream my approval, and almost do, but somehow, I keep it composed. “Yes, yes I do. I want to see where this goes. Us.”
He offers me a real smile, not that smirky one that makes me all crazy, but the real one that makes my heart sing. “Thank Christ,” he says, releasing a huge sigh of relief. “I was prepared for much more groveling. I even had a speech prepared.”
My eyebrows shoot heavenward. “You did?”
“I did, but since you’ve already agreed to be my girl, then we can skip to phase two,” he says, reaching around, grabbing my rear, and pulling me up and into his chest. My legs immediately wrap around him.
“Phase two?”
“I’m going to show you where this thing goes,” he declares with another hip flex. He walks me to the bed, lays his body down on mine, and kisses me with everything he has.
Rhenn proceeds to show me, not once, but three times exactly where his cock belongs.
Epilogue
Rhenn
Fourth of July Weekend
“I’d rather take you back to bed,” I whisper in her ear as she scoops pasta salad onto her plate, dropping the spoon in the process.
“Knock it off,” she gasps, elbowing me in the stomach.
“I can’t help it, Angel. All I can think about is how wet your pussy was this morning when I was eating you out. I want to go back to my place and do it all over again.”
She gazes up at me with wide, hungry eyes. “You’re bad.”
“I’m so fucking good, Angel. So good.”
“Are you two about to have sex? I think Lexi and the stripper went up to the guest room under the guise of changing a diaper, yet didn’t take the baby. Anyway, so that room’s occupied. You can use our room,” Emma says brightly, pretty much squashing my boner under her frail little hands.
Marissa gasps. “What? No! I’m not using your room for…that!”
“Why not? It was good enough for us just a little bit ago. Right, Emmy?” Orval adds behind us, grabbing a plate and throwing on a piece of chicken. “I just love the breast. So juicy and tender. Don’t you agree, Rhenn?” he asks, stoic look on his face, but eyes full of mischief.
“I do, sir. Best part of the…chicken,” I reply, trying to keep my smile at bay.
“Well, I don’t know about that, son. Best part is the –”
“Anyway,” Marissa interrupts loudly. “The food looks delicious.”
“Oh, Levi makes the best fried chicken, dear. You are all in for a treat,” Emma adds, throwing a little more food on her plate and heading off to one of the picnic tables under the shade of a tree.
We’re at Brian and Cindy’s house, and Marissa just met the rest of the Summer family for the first time. Of course, with six girls, all married, and with kids or kids on the way, it’s a packed affair. Everyone is here, laughing and enjoying themselves. Hell, I even saw ol’ Samuel crack a few smiles over the course of the afternoon.
I join my lovely girlfriend at the table, across from Meghan and Nick and right beside Harper. My girlfriend. I didn’t think I’d ever use that term again, but do you know what? I’m more proud of my new title as boyfriend than I am of any of my other accomplishments to date.
“I have exciting news,” Harper says to her sister.
“Do tell,” she says, taking a bite of her chicken leg. I wouldn’t mind taking a little bite out of her…leg…
“Remember the rumor I told you about Mrs. Morton? Well, I called my realtor, and she confirmed she’s definitely selling! We’re putting in an offer,” she exclaims, bright smile on her face.
“Oh my gosh, Harper, that’s amazing! I can’t wait to see what you could do with that additional space,” Marissa says, reaching out and squeezing her sister’s hand.
“Well, I don’t have it yet. I already called the bank and we’ve discussed how aggressive I can be with my bid.”
“You’ll get it. I know it,” Marissa adds.
“I hope so. I already have two local vendors interested in selling product in the store,” Harper says, before turning and telling Meghan all about her lingerie shop. Meghan immediately calls all of her sisters over to hear about it, the group vowing to make a trip to Rockland Falls soon for a little shopping.
After dinner, we all hang around the yard, playing games and visiting. A few of the guys are throwing bean bags, while I’m over with Nick, watching Sawyer play catch with Marissa’s nephew, Max.
“How long you in town?” Nick asks, taking a drink from his beer.
“We’re staying through tomorrow afternoon, and then heading back. Free has to be out of there by eight,” I tell him.
Nick glances around before meeting my eyes. “What did you decide about the dojo?”
I smile when I think back to my earlier meeting. “I’m going to take a step away this year. Tyler is going to step up and teach my usual classes, and will help with the self-defense classes too.” Nick teaches two classes at my place, and with Tyler’s help, will continue to do so until his baby is born.
“It’s pretty cool that one of your very first students is taking over in your absence,” Nick adds.
“No one I trust more than him. Well, besides you. Plus, he’s staying local, so if I decide to move to North Carolina, he wants first right of refusal to purchase the business.”
Nick just smiles. “Look at you. All grown-up and shit.”
I snort. “Who would have thought?”
“Can we catch breakfast? I know you’re having lunch with the cousins again.”
“Sounds good. You cooking?”
“Hell no. You want it edible, don’t you?” Nick retorts, resulting in a hard laugh from me.
“No shit. Do you make your pregnant wife cook all the meals?” I tease, following Nick’s line of sight and landing on is wife.
“I cook on Tuesday nights.”
“Isn’t that your late night?”
He laughs. “Yep. I order the food while she’s getting her station ready for the next day. That’s all the cooking she’ll let me do anymore.”
“Can’t say I blame her. I’ve tried to eat whatever charred shit you pull off the grill.”
“Asshole,” he grumbles, finishing off his beer. “Do you want to meet at the diner?”
I glance at Marissa, whose eyes land on mine at the same time. Offering her a knowing, ornery smirk, I answer, “Come by my place. We’ll make breakfast.”
“You?”
“I can cook like Emeril.”
“Who?”
“Never mind,” I say, throwing my own drink in the garbage and heading toward my girl. As soon as she spots my movements, she excuses herself from her group and makes her way to me. We meet in the middle, her arms snaking around my neck as mine rest on her lower back. “Hi.”
“Hello,” she whispers just as my lips find hers. It doesn’t take much to coax those plump lips open to slide my tongue inside. I’ll never tire of the taste of her. “What was that for?” she asks when I finally pull away.
“Just letting everyone know who you belong to.”
Her eyebrows pull together. “At a family function, where the only single men are my brothers?” she asks, rolling her eyes at my possessiveness.
“Fine, I just like kissing you. It had been too long. I was starting to forget what it felt like.”
Again, she rolls her eyes. “Really? It has been a whole thirty minutes.”
“Too long,” I insist, wrapping my arm around her shoulder and pulling her into my side. Together, we turn and watch her family. “By the way, I’m sorry I broke my promise.”
She looks at me with shock and concern. “What promise?”
“The one I made back in your cottage when we originally set the deal. The one where I don’t fall in love with you.”
Marissa smirks. “You did break that promise.”
“I’m not sorry in the least. In fact, it was the best broken promise ever,” I confess, sliding my lips across hers gently. “Oh, we’re having Meghan and Nick over for breakfast in the morning.”
“Sounds good. What are you making?”
“Coffee?”
She laughs. “Fine, what am I making?”
Waggling my eyebrows, I give her a wide smile. “Pancakes.”
Marissa gazes up at me, a similar smile on her gorgeous face. “Pancakes.”
The End
Meet me in Rockland Falls! Harper meets her match in Love and Lingerie, coming Spring 2019!
Acknowledgments
This book wouldn’t be what it is without the amazing team I have in my corner!
Sara Eirew – For your wicked talent behind the lens.
Melissa Gill – For bringing to life this stunning cover.
Nazarea, Kelly, and the InkSlinger PR team – Thank you for your tireless promotion and work on each new reveal and release.
Cristina and Lucas – For bringing Rhenn and Marissa to life on this cover.
Kara Hildebrand – For taking my words and making them flow, and for falling in love with each hero before the word gets a chance.
Sandra Shipman – For being by my side with each new release and making sure each book is as good as it can be before it release.
Jo Thompson – For everything. Just everything. For brainstorming and not making fun of me too much when you find those silly spelling errors. I’m glad I’m usually good for a few laughs.
Kaitie Reister – Thank you for reading it early and helping find those pesky little errors.
Danielle Palumbo – For chatting with me about fire damage and cleanup. Your information was so very valuable.
Karen Hrdlicka – I’m short about one hundred words now, thanks to removing unnecessary that’s, but it’s better because of you! Thank you!
Brenda Wright of Formatting Done Wright – As always, the BEST formatter ever. Thank you!
Holly Collins – For always cheering me on and getting just as excited with each new release as I am!
Lacey’s Ladies – Thank you for loving my books, my characters, and keeping me sane in this crazy business.
My husband and two kids – I love you. So much.
Every single blogger who helped with the cover reveal or shared the release – THANK YOU!
And last but not least, the readers - THANK YOU for purchasing this book! Thank you for putting your trust in me as we dive into another series.
About the Author
Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and a chocolate lab. Lacey loves watching NASCAR races, shooting guns, and should only consume one mixed drink because she’s a lightweight.
Email: laceyblackwrites@gmail.com
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Lacey Black, Love and Pancakes
