Wild Collision, page 29
“I kind of thought maybe I was dreaming.”
He laughs. “I’m better than any dream.”
I shake my head. “Always so cocky. I found your present for my birthday, you know,” I confess.
“That so?” He raises a brow.
“I already knew you lied when you left, but then I really knew you lied, and I also could see how much you love me.”
“And how much is that, Mia?”
“A lot,” I whisper, leaning even closer to him.
“I’m so sorry.” He brushes my hair away from my eyes. “You have no idea how much I wish I hadn’t left.”
“But you did,” I remind him.
“But I did,” he agrees.
“Can you forgive me?” he asks, looking pained.
“Are you ever going to do something stupid like that ever again?”
“No,” he answers emphatically.
“Then I forgive you.”
He grabs my cheeks and kisses me. It’s a kiss I feel all the way to my toes. It’s the kind of kiss where all the oxygen seems sucked from the room—it’s the kind, where in movies fireworks would begin to go off. His lips move against mine and mine seem to know exactly what to do.
I was made for kissing him, for loving him, for … just him.
He pulls away and looks down at me. “I’m never leaving you ever again, Mia Hayes.”
I place a hand over his. “Even if my dad doesn’t approve?”
He grins. “I talked to your dad before coming here.”
“You did?” I ask, shocked.
He nods. “I told him everything, about how much I love you, how much you mean to me. I told him I plan on marrying you one day and even if he hates me I’m never leaving you. Not again.”
“And?”
“He understands, I think … I think he might even like me now,” he chuckles. “I mean, I got our contract back and I didn’t even ask for it so that’s got to be good, right? The guys will be flying back as soon as they can.”
“You mean…?”
“We’re going to be here for a while, baby—and when the time comes to head back to L.A. we’ll figure things out. You okay with that?” He rubs his thumb against my cheek. I’m not sure he even knows he’s doing it.
“More than okay,” I breathe. “I’m so happy for you guys. I couldn’t believe he broke off your contract.”
“I can, but I’m glad it’s all worked out now. I think we understand each other.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yep—he loves you and wants you to be happy. I love you and want you to be happy, so really we want the same things.”
I smile up at him. “I really don’t want to talk about my dad right now.”
He grins back. “And what do you want to do?”
I don’t answer him with words. Instead, I kiss him. Which leads to him turning me around and slipping his fingers under the sides of the open back dress. He then kisses the back of my neck, and my head rolls back against his shoulder.
Before I know it he’s undoing the tie around my neck and the dress is falling from my body into a puddle on the floor.
Then I’m facing him once more, and he pulls me to the floor making love to me surrounded by all those candles and all the love we have for each other.
Epilogue
Hollis
New Year’s Eve
“This place is fancy,” Fox says, taking in the ballroom of the Wentworth mansion where an annual New Year’s Eve party is held. Apparently Trace Wentworth is Hayes’s cousin or something, so we’re all here. Me, the guys, Mia, her family, and all the other guys from Willow Creek and their families. Not to mention a million other people I don’t know.
“It is,” Rush says, equally in awe, with Kira on his lap.
I watch Mia across the room talking to her dad. They made up, but it’s still a little tense and awkward. I know when she sees him Mia can only think about what he saw. I don’t think she’ll ever get quite over it, but one day it won’t be so horrifying.
I glance beside me at Cannon. “I forgot to give this to you.” I pull out the envelope his sister gave me for him from the inside pocket of my tux’s jacket—yeah, we’re all in fucking tuxes it was required. I’d complain more about the penguin suit if it weren’t for how fucking sexy Mia looks in her formal gown—and how her eyes devoured me in it when she saw me, promising all kinds of wicked delights in the near future. I watch her in her dark emerald green gown, fitted in the chest and hips area before flaring out. She looks stunning, but then again she always does.
Cannon takes the envelope and I discreetly start to record him with my phone as Mia joins us once more. She opens her mouth, probably to ask why I’m recording and I quickly shake my head so she doesn’t say anything to ruin the moment. The truth is I have no clue what we’re about to witness.
Cannon opens the envelope and glitter goes everywhere. No, not glitter…
“What the fuck? Why am I covered in multi-colored dicks?” he asks, staring around at the confetti now sprayed all around us.
None of us can stop laughing to give him an answer.
“Calista did this, didn’t she?” he asks me and I nod.
“Oh, this is war,” he growls. “I don’t know what I’m going to do, but it’s something. She’s going to regret this.”
I stop recording and send the video to Callie in a text before I can forget. It isn’t long before she replies.
Callie: I knew it would be epic.
“Come on,” Mia tugs on my hand, “the fireworks are starting soon. I want to get a good spot.”
I let her drag me away, the guys and Kira following, and we end up on a large balcony. I slide my tux jacket off and drape it around her shoulders.
Inside the countdown begins.
“Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two! One!”
Fireworks explode into the sky and I kiss Mia to shouts of, “Happy New Year!”
I don’t know what this New Year has in store for us, but something tells me it can only get better from here.
Bonus Scene
Hayes’s POV
My phone beeps with an alert and I groan. I was almost asleep. But in case it’s something important I look anyway. Arden’s already sound asleep beside me, oblivious to the world around her.
I pick up the phone and the alert tells me someone’s opened the door to Mia’s apartment. My heart speeds up when I look at the time. Mia wouldn’t be out this late. It’s not like her. I know she’s not the partying type.
I jump up and rush to my computer on my desk in the room attached to our master bedroom. It has a fireplace, couch, and everything.
I sit down and I swear it takes the computer for-fucking-ever to turn on.
I tap my fingers restlessly against the wooden tabletop.
When it finally turns on I go to the security’s website and log in. I just installed the security on her place today, if someone’s broken in then I got that installed in the knick of time.
I click for the video footage, choosing live time.
The video feed fills the screen and I tilt my head confused at what I’m seeing at first. Then I hear the sounds. The moans. The pleas. The—
I stare for a moment longer and horrified I realize that’s my daughter having sex with … with fuck, it’s fucking Hollis who I told to stay away from her. I fucking told him.
“What the fuck?” I scream. “Oh my God, no!” I dive under the desk, but it doesn’t stop the sounds.
“Arden!” I yell.
She doesn’t stir from the bed. “ARDEN!” I yell even louder.
This can’t be happening. I’m torn between being livid and upset, but right now fear is winning out. Fear because I can’t go back and unsee what I saw.
Arden gets up and walks over to the desk. “Hayes? Where are you?”
“Down here,” I hiss.
She looks down. “Why are you under the table?”
I point upwards. “Turn it off. Please for the love of God turn it off. I’m begging you.”
She squints at the screen and then her eyes widen in horror. She quickly turns it off. Bending to her knees she crouches in front of me.
“You had them put cameras in her apartment with the security?” she accuses.
“I thought it was a good idea at the time,” my voice squeaks like a prepubescent boy.
She shakes her head. “I can’t believe you.”
Anger roars in my veins. “You can’t believe me? What about that prick who I warned to stay away from her? Huh, what about him?”
She glares at me in only the way a wife can. “Mia is an adult she can do what she wants with whoever she wants.”
“Oh no, she can’t,” I roar, pushing out from under the desk. “I’m going there.”
“What?” She follows me as I start yanking on jeans. “Hayes, be serious.”
“I am fucking serious, Arden.”
“Oh for the love of God.” She throws her hands in the air. “Don’t do this. This is ridiculous.”
“No, you know what’s ridiculous—that prick signing a contract to work with me and then fucking my daughter. Do you have any idea how many girls he’s been with? Probably hundreds if the photos posted online are any indicator.”
I grab a sweatshirt and tug it over my head.
“If I remember correctly you were quite the womanizer before you met me—maybe he loves her.”
I snort. “Not likely.” I grab my wallet and keys, tearing from the room.
Arden runs after me, grabbing my elbow when we reach the first floor.
“Honey, please don’t do this,” she begs.
“I have to,” I tell her, tearing from her hold.
“She won’t forgive you,” she warns, as I start toward the garage.
“I know,” I whisper. “But it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
Bonus Scene
Hollis’s POV
I get in the taxi at the airport and give him the address.
Nerves make my palms sweat and I wipe them on my jeans. The guy driving the car keeps trying to talk to me, asking me if I’m visiting the area and whatnot, but I can’t answer him because I’m freaking the fuck out too much.
Finally, we arrive, the gates mercifully open, and I get out of the car. “Wait here,” I tell him.
He grumbles, but I know he’ll be fine once he gets paid.
I ring the doorbell and wait.
It swings open revealing Mia’s mother.
“Hollis?” she gasps in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Is … uh … Hayes here?”
She steps aside. “Yeah, he’s in the family room.”
Taking a deep breath I head that way and pause outside of the large room, clearing my throat. Hayes looks up, his eyes widening in surprise at seeing me.
“Can I talk to you … sir?” I add.
He looks like he wants to say no, but finally nods.
I take a seat in a leather chair across from where he sits on the couch.
“What are you doing here?” He asks. “I thought your sorry ass went back to L.A.”
“I went back to Tennessee, actually,” I admit. “To see my mom.”
He stares at me, waiting for more.
“I came back because … because frankly, sir, I can’t stay away from your daughter. I love her, I’m in love with her, and I don’t see that changing … ever. I’m going to marry her one day. You can hate me all you want, but I’m not leaving her. Not again. I shouldn’t have left at all, but I didn’t want to stand in between her and her family.” The words tumble out of me like verbal vomit—it’s not how I intended to say all this, but nerves have turned me into a babbling fool.
He stares at me, mulling over what I’ve said. “I don’t know if I’ll ever like you Hollis, not with my daughter, but I do accept the truth in your words and I believe you love her.”
“I do,” I breathe. “So much it scares me.”
He cracks a small smile. “That’s how you know it’s real.”
I rub my hands over my jeans, palms still sweaty. “I needed to come here before I see her. I wanted you to know this wasn’t, and isn’t, some fling to me. It’s end game.”
“Well,” he sighs, holding out his hand, “I’ll see you in the studio after the holidays then. I’ll get the guys flown back out here on the next flight.”
I take his hand, shaking it with a grin. “Really?”
“Don’t fuck this up,” he warns me. “I don’t give second chances lightly.”
“Meaning … if I hurt Mia no more contract?”
He shakes his head. “The contract stays no matter what. I was … pissed beyond belief before and not thinking rationally. But if you hurt her, as a father, I’ll beat you to a pulp. It’s a promise.”
“One you’ll never have to fulfill.”
“I hope you’re right,” he chuckles.
I say my goodbyes and head out to the waiting taxi.
Time to get my girl back.
Wild Flame Coming Soon
He was raging chaos.
Kira Marsh doesn’t need anything tying her down.
Her freedom is her safety net. One night stands appeal to her no-strings-attached lifestyle. Until him…
She was the sweetest sin.
Rush Daniels has been spiraling out of control for a long time.
Too many drunken nights and women he can’t remember led him to hit rock bottom. Then his band got a record deal, and with Joshua Hayes as their producer he has to clean up his act.
Together they were a fire that couldn’t be doused.
When Rush and Kira start their arrangement—sex with only each other until one of them grows bored—they never expect it to lead to more. But as they get to know each other on a more personal level they both begin to realize things aren’t as simple and straight-forward as they hoped.
When feelings get involved, things get complicated, especially when life likes to throw curveballs.
Acknowledgments
I never seem to know where to start with these. First off a big thank you to my betas for helping shape this book into what it is today, also to Kellen and Barbara for really showing me the potential this novel has. I love all you ladies to pieces and my books are lucky to have you.
Regina Bartley, so much has been going on in both our lives we barely have time to talk anymore. But I know you’ve always got my back and I’ve got yours. Our friendship is solid and can withstand anything. Love you, lady!
Sara and Wendi, I don’t know what I’d do without you. You’re always there to make me laugh and give advice when I need it. I love our inside jokes and how they make sense to no one else. #tatertot
Grammy, thank you for always supporting me, even through hell, which is exactly what I’ve been through the last two years. No matter what you never give up on me even when others do. You’re a solid presence in my life and I’m thankful for that every single day. Even if you drive me crazy sometimes. P.S. You are never ever allowed to read this book, so if you’re reading this part … you’re in trouble missy.
Janiece … holy cow, there aren’t words to express how thankful I am to you. I’ve always looked up and admired you, but you stepping up to the plate to give me your kidney? There are no words for that. You say it’s something anyone would do but it’s not. It takes a special person to give away a part of themselves like you did. The craziest part of it all, is because of you I get to live a healthy normal life. I didn’t know what it was like to be healthy, and now I do, that’s the greatest gift anyone can have.
To anyone reading this, thank you for picking up this book. Whether you’re a new reader or someone familiar with my books thank you for taking a chance on me. Without readers like you I couldn’t do what I love. You’re playing the most vital role in making my dreams come true and I love you so much for it.
I also have to thank my dog baby Ollie. Ollie, you’re always by my side, my constant companion, and you laid with me while I wrote this book as I recovered. You’ve seen me at my worst, so much so if I even cough you look at me with worry, and while you might be a dog I know you see how healthy I am now and it brings you peace of mind. I love you so much, you’re my soul dog.
Smeltzer, Micalea, Wild Collision
