Easy Kisses (The Boudreaux Series Book 4) (29 page)

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Authors: Kristen Proby

Tags: #New Orleans, #Boudreaux, #Kristen Proby, #family, #Romance

BOOK: Easy Kisses (The Boudreaux Series Book 4)

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“I beat you to it.” I stand and take his hand in mine, leading him toward the bed. “I don’t want to sleep alone anymore.”

“I don’t have any sleep in mind,” he replies with a wicked smile.

“Thank goodness.”

***

“You have done an amazing job with this,” Simon says six months later. He’s standing in the middle of
Head Over Heels Miami
, taking in everything. It’s the night before our grand opening.

My stomach won’t settle down.

“I’m nervous,” I admit.

“Trust me, it’s going to be fantastic. And I’m going to insist that we go back to the condo now.” He takes my hand and kisses my fingers. “It’s almost midnight, you’re exhausted, and I haven’t seen you in days.”

“That’s an exaggeration.” I roll my eyes, but stand on my tiptoes and kiss his cheek. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. Simon has been in Miami with me for the past month while I put the store together. He helped me when he could, and we bought a condo on the beach to use when we’re in town.

“Okay, I haven’t seen you
much.
”

“After grand opening week, things will slow down a bit. I hired a great team to take the reins.” I smile up at him as we walk through the displays and racks of gorgeous shoes. I decided early on that I didn’t want to live in Miami full time. New Orleans is where my heart is, but we will come often to check in on things. “When do we leave for London?”

“In about ten days,” he replies. “My parents are anxious to meet you.”

“Your mom is sweet.” I’ve spoken to her on the phone a few times, and I’m looking forward to meeting her too.

“She already likes you very much.”

He leads me outside. The shop is on the boardwalk, nestled amongst designer shops, looking out on the water. Our condo is only a few blocks away.

But rather than lead me toward home, he pulls me out onto the pier and leans on the railing, looking out into the night. He wraps his arm around me, tucking me against him.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

He doesn’t say anything at first, and finally after a long, silent moment, he turns to me and hugs me close, then pulls back so he can look into my eyes.

“I don’t know how to answer that question because I’m so much better than
okay
, I can’t put it into words. You’ve changed my life, Charly.”

I blink up at him, moved and a little curious about the fierce, almost nervous look in his eyes.

“I never wanted to need you,” he continues. “It’s a vulnerability that I didn’t think I would ever be comfortable with. I wanted you. I still want you, and I always will.

“I’ve come to learn that despite what I thought I wanted, I do need you, and the vulnerability is a beautiful thing when it’s with someone you trust.” He kisses my knuckles, and gazes deeply into my eyes. “I need you, Charly, in the most elemental, basic ways. I can’t see myself ever without you. You’ve brought such humor, love, and happiness to my life. I can’t promise that it’ll be a perfect life, but I can promise that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that it’s a life we’re proud of.”

He lowers down to one knee and pulls a little blue box out of his pocket, and I’m stunned. It’s hard to breathe. I want to jump up and down and cry like a baby, all at the same time.

“Please do me the honor of being my wife. Build a life with me, Charlotte.”

I blink at him for a heartbeat, and finally, I nod vigorously and throw myself into his arms, holding onto each other on the floor of this pier.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes,” I say, surprised to see tearstains on his shirt. “Absolutely yes.”

“Here, this is for you.” I lean back and gasp at the gorgeous diamond he slides on my finger. It’s twinkling in the starlight. “I hope you like it. If you don’t, you can exchange it.”

“It’s perfect.” I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight. “This is perfect.”

Epilogue

~Beau Boudreaux~

Three Months Later…

“Leave it to Charly to have a wedding in London,” I say and scrub my hand over my mouth. “I would never say this to her, but how are we supposed to leave the company for a week? I think Eli will have a nervous breakdown.”

“It’ll be fine,” Savannah says calmly. We’re in her office, trying to make arrangements so we can all go to London next week. “We have a strong team, and we’re only a phone call away.”

“Why couldn’t she have just gotten married here?”

“Because she didn’t want to,” Van says and pats me on the cheek, hard. She’s stronger than she looks.

Her phone rings with a call from her assistant.

“Yes?” Van says.

“There’s a Mallory Adams here to see you.”

“Oh, great. She can come in.” Van smiles at me. “Mallory and I are going out for lunch.”

“Is this the Mallory that rents the shop below my apartment?” I ask, just as the woman herself walks through the door.

“That’s me,” she says with a smile, and my tongue immediately sticks to the roof of my mouth. I always pictured her as a matronly woman, in voodoo witch dresses and long dreadlocks.

I was wrong.

Her hair is long and red, in soft curls. Her eyes are wide, and a curious shade between blue and purple. She’s taller than my sisters, but not by much, and she’s curvy in all the right places.

There’s nothing
matronly
about her.

She’s fucking beautiful.

“Mallory, this is Beau,” Van says with a wicked grin. “Also known as the pain in your ass.”

“He’s not that bad,” Mallory replies as she approaches the desk. She holds an envelope out to me, and our hands brush as I take it, making her eyes dilate. “I thought I’d drop the rent by, since I was here anyway.”

“Thank you.”

Is that my voice?

“You’re welcome.” She takes a step back and her eyes roam all around my head and shoulders, and she smiles widely. “I like you already, Beau Boudreaux.”

I raise a brow. “Really?”

“Mm.” She turns her attention to Van. “Should we go?”

“Sure.” Van grins and reaches for her bag. “I love what you’ve done with your hair.”

“Thank you. It was time for a change.”

Both women walk out of the office, and I still can’t move, struck dumb by the surprise of Mallory Adams.

I’m going to have to visit her shop in the near future.

Don’t miss out on Adam’s story in the 1001 Dark Nights novella:

Easy For Keeps

(A Boudreaux Novella)

by Kristen Proby

Click
here
to pre-order

Adam Spencer loves women. All women. Every shape and size, regardless of hair or eye color, religion or race, he simply enjoys them all. Meeting more than his fair share as the manager and head bartender of The Odyssey, a hot spot in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter, Adam’s comfortable with his lifestyle, and sees no reason to change it. A wife and kids, plus the white picket fence are not in the cards for this confirmed bachelor. Until a beautiful woman, and her sweet princess, literally knock him on his ass.

Sarah Cox has just moved to New Orleans, having accepted a position as a social worker specializing in at-risk women and children. It’s a demanding, sometimes dangerous job, but Sarah is no shy wallflower. She can handle just about anything that comes at her, even the attentions of one sexy Adam Spencer. Just because he’s charmed her daughter, making her think of magical kingdoms with happily ever after, doesn’t mean that Sarah believes in fairy tales. But the more time she spends with the enchanting man, the more he begins to sway her into believing in forever.

Even so, when Sarah’s job becomes more dangerous than any of them bargained for, will she be ripped from Adam’s life forever?

Other Books by Kristen Proby:

The Boudreaux Series:

Easy Love
and on
audio

Easy Charm
and on
audio

Easy Melody
and on
audio

Easy For Keeps
(pre-order)

The With Me In Seattle Series:

Come Away With Me
and on
audio

Under the Mistletoe With Me
and on
audio

Fight With Me
and on
audio

Play With Me
and on
audio