And I feel the same way.

  “I love you, too,” I tell Asher. “I think I have for a long time.”

  He smiles as he strokes my cheek. “Then I’m glad we met again.”

  Me too. Fate may play tricks, but when it brings people together, it sure brings people together.

  Asher closes his eyes as he brings his face close to mine. I almost lean forward to meet him halfway, but I remember something. I place my finger over his lips.

  He opens his eyes. I see confusion written all over them.

  “Is something wrong?” he asks.

  “Actually, yes,” I tell him.

  He still looks confused, so I blurt it out.

  “Before we do anything, you need to brush your teeth.” I give him a sniff. “And maybe take a shower.”

  ~

  I scrub Asher’s back as the water trickles down on us. As I do, I notice the tattoo just above his waist. I recognize the symbol.

  “You have a tattoo of the symbol for a subset that doesn’t belong?” I ask him.

  Asher grins over his shoulder. “I knew you’d recognize that.”

  “But what does it mean?”

  He shrugs. “Maybe that I don’t want to belong to anyone. But that was before I met you.”

  He turns to face me. I smile.

  “In that case, maybe you need a new tattoo.”

  “Maybe,” he agrees.

  Then he just stares at me.

  I put my hands on my hips. “What?”

  “Can I kiss you now?” he asks, his gaze on my lips.

  I hang my sponge back on the peg.

  “Sure.”

  Asher gives me a wide grin. Then he grabs my arms and pulls me even closer to him, close enough that our faces are almost touching. For a moment, he just looks into my eyes as if he’s trying to commit them to memory. Then he leans forward and kisses me.

  He’s kissed me many times before, but this—this is different. This time, as our lips press firmly against each other, I feel like our entire bodies are connected. Our hearts, too. This kiss feels like the beginning of something new.

  Because it is.

  He deepens the kiss and I respond by kissing him with all the passion I can muster. My hands run over the muscles of his chest. His caress my back and clutch my ass.

  “You love my ass, don’t you?” I observe out loud.

  “I love every bit of you,” he answers, but he squeezes my ass just the same.

  I chuckle.

  “For instance, I love your hair.”

  He runs his fingers through it.

  “Your breasts.”

  He kisses each one and they grow ripe with heat.

  “Your ass.”

  He squeezes it again and I laugh.

  “Your legs.”

  He runs his hands over them.

  “And this.”

  He presses a kiss on the triangle between my legs. I hold my breath.

  Asher pushes me towards the back of the bathtub and makes me sit on the edge. Then he kneels between my legs, lifts them on his shoulders and starts to press his tongue against me. The breath I’m holding leaves me in a gasp.

  “Oh God.”

  He licks the entrance to my most secret part and I start to tremble. His tongue rubs against my sensitive nub and I moan as I grip his hair.

  He teases that bud of flesh over and over, each swipe of his tongue sending ripples of pleasure beneath my skin. I throw my head back against the wall. My moans spill and bounce off the bathroom walls.

  Somehow, my body is more excited than usual. Maybe it’s because of Asher’s bold declaration. Maybe it’s because I’ve missed him. Whatever the reason, I can already feel myself teetering over the edge.

  “Asher!”

  I cry out his name as I fall over. My heels dig into his back. My toes curl. My fingers pull at his hair as wave after wave of pleasure rolls over me.

  When it starts to ebb away, I let Asher’s hair go but he stays where he is. His tongue enters me and since I just had an orgasm, I shiver. I’m already wet, and yet his tongue gets me even wetter. Hotter.

  I’m ready for more.

  I push Asher’s head away and slide down inside the tub. I go on my knees and lean over the edge. Then I meet Asher’s gaze over my shoulder.

  “You can fuck me now.”

  He grins. “With pleasure.”

  He grips my hips and starts to slide his cock inside me from behind. It rubs against me and lights a fire deep inside my body.

  “Mm. Yes!”

  He fills me inch by inch. Then he stops. I clutch the edge of the tub and brace myself for the pleasure to come.

  It takes me by storm from the very first thrust. With each one, Asher rocks my entire body and fills every nook and cranny of it with heat. My hips come to life and push back against him.

  I try to keep up with his pace but when he speeds up, I fail. My head spins. My body trembles.

  I push my hips hard against Asher’s as pleasure overwhelms me again. My mouth opens wide as all the air flees my lungs. My fingers dig into porcelain.

  I’m still trembling when Asher pulls out of me and turns me around. He captures my mouth in a fierce kiss as his hand moves frantically between our bodies. Then I feel his quivering cock against my belly and something warm between my breasts.

  Asher breaks the kiss to rest against my shoulder. I feel his warm, rapid breaths against my skin. I wrap my arms around him and wait for him to catch his breath. When he does, he kisses me again. Then he looks into my eyes.

  “What are you thinking?” I ask him as I stroke his cheek.

  “That I’m lucky to have found you after losing you once.”

  I smile. “You better not lose me again.”

  “No. I better not,” he agrees.

  He takes my hand and kisses it. My heart leaps in my chest.

  “Also, I was thinking we should go another round,” he says. “In bed.”

  I see desire flicker anew in his eyes.

  “We can,” I tell him. “In bed. After breakfast.”

  “Breakfast?”

  “I’m sure you need something in your stomach,” I tell him. “Also, I was thinking we could make pancakes together.”

  In fact, I can think of many things I’d like for us to do together. But let’s start with baby steps. Pancakes.

  “Or we could see who can make better pancakes,” Asher says.

  I narrow my eyes at him. “Oh, is that a challenge?”

  “Only if you accept it.”

  And I can think of no reason not to. Life is simply more interesting with challenges, especially when you have someone you love to face them with.

  I wrap my arms around Asher’s neck and grin. “I accept.”

  Epilogue

  Asher

  Three months later…

  “I win!” I raise my empty glass of eggnog triumphantly.

  Beside me, Ethan continues to gulp down his but stops with a quarter to go.

  “I give up,” he says. “I should never have agreed to a drinking contest with you.”

  “Oh, come on. Where’s your holiday spirit?” I pat him on the shoulder. “Besides, you won’t be able to drink so much after the baby comes.”

  “True,” he agrees.

  Stella wraps an arm around him. “I think he should stop drinking so much now.”

  I frown. “Let the guy live a little, Stell. After all, it’s almost Christmas.”

  “Yup.” Excitement gleams in her amber eyes. “Eight more days. And three more days before we go to Zurich. Best Christmas present ever.”

  Ethan touches her cheek. “Well, you deserve it.”

  “Aww.” Stella gives him a kiss.

  I turn away to give them some privacy and end up catching Ryker sneaking out of the bar with a blonde.

  My eyebrows furrow. I wonder who that is. As for what they’re planning on doing, I think I already know.

  It looks like Ryker is getting his Christmas present early.

  Speaking of early Christmas presents, maybe it’s time I give Violet hers.

  Now where is she?

  Eventually, I find Violet outside the bar, standing just behind the huge Christmas tree in the hotel lobby. She’s still on the phone, so I take a moment to admire her in her golden velvet dress. Even now, I still can’t believe she’s mine.

  When Violet sees me, her eyes grow wide. Moments later, she hangs up and slips her phone inside her purse. I walk over to her.

  “You’re not cheating on me, are you?” I tease her.

  “No,” she says. “I was talking to my mother.”

  “Really?”

  She nods. “She wants me to come home for Christmas. She wants me to bring you along, too.”

  “Why not? You haven’t been home in a while, right?”

  She shrugs. “Well, you know I don’t have many fond memories of home.”

  “I know.” I take her hand. “But your mom is all better now, right? Maybe it’s time to make some new memories.”

  Violet says nothing.

  I stroke her hand. “Besides, I want to meet her.”

  Violet’s eyebrows arch. “You do?”

  I nod. “I want to thank her for bringing such an amazing person into this world.”

  Violet blushes as she shakes her head. “You don’t have to do that.”

  “And I want to tell her that I’m going to do my best to be a good husband to her daughter.”

  Violet’s eyes grow wide. “What are you talking about?”

  I take the satin box out of my pocket and start to go down on one knee. Violet stops me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Proposing,” I tell her. “At least, that’s what I was going to do.”

  Her eyebrows furrow. “But we’ve only been together for three months.”

  “I know. But you also said you’ve loved me for a long time and that I shouldn’t lose you again.”

  “But—”

  I place my finger on her lips. “I can’t believe you’re arguing with me on this.”

  “I just…” She swallows. “I don’t know if we’re ready.”

  “I know we are,” I tell her as I touch her cheek. “You know how I know? Because there’s nothing the two of us can’t overcome. We’re amazing.”

  Violet says nothing.

  I give her a puzzled look. “What? You don’t believe that?”

  “I do. I know we’re amazing. It’s just that—”

  I silence Violet with a kiss. If there’s one thing I’ve learned these past few months, it’s that the best way to stop her from arguing with me is by kissing her. Thoroughly.

  After I pull away, I look into her eyes.

  “Marry me, Violet.”

  She gazes back into mine. “You really don’t know how to take no for an answer, do you?”

  “No.”

  She chuckles. “Then I guess my answer is yes.”

  My lips curve into a smile. “Good.”

  I kiss her again. This time, as I do, I slip the diamond ring onto her finger. She takes a look at it and gasps.

  “This is…”

  “Real? Yes. Expensive? Yes.”

  “I was going to say it’s incredible,” Violet says.

  “Just like you.” I take her hand and kiss it. “I love you.”

  Her eyes glisten just like the lights of the tree. “I love you, too.”

  I never thought I’d find love, but now that I have, I’m never letting it slip through my fingers again.

  ~The End~

  Keep reading for Ryker and Claire's story!

  Breaking The Bro Code

  Hawthorne Brothers Book 3

  “I’m a rule follower, always have been.”

  Nothing says OFF LIMITS like your best friend’s little sister,

  But the moment my lips touched Claire’s,

  I threw the whole damn book out the window.

  I know, I broke “bro-code,”

  And I deserved the punch to the nose I got for it.

  I can have any girl I want…not cocky, just facts,

  And of course I had to fall for her.

  Kissing her was an accident,

  Hooking-up with her was a mistake,

  Well…is it still a mistake if you did it a few times?

  I know I’m an idiot,

  I should have told him,

  I shouldn’t have let him find out when he caught me making out with her,

  The night before his wedding.

  Hiding my relationship with Claire was hard,

  Hiding my feelings for her,

  That’s a secret I’m not sure I can keep any longer.

  Prologue

  Ryker

  What’s better than being a boy unwrapping your present on Christmas morning? Being a grown man and seeing your Christmas present walk into the room.

  She looks just like Christmas in a red tartan dress, sleeveless with a pleated skirt that stops right below her knees and a black ribbon with a shiny golden buckle around her waist. Her blonde hair is braided into a crown, but some tendrils have managed to escape—or were they left out on purpose?—so they now dangle over her cheeks like the tinsel on the tree. Her full lips are bright red like her dress and the rubies attached to her ears. She lifts a hand to rub one of the gems as she says something with furrowed eyebrows. Then her emerald eyes grow wide. They sparkle, more so than any of the lights in the room, as she chuckles. I smile.

  Claire Parker. I always thought she’d turn out to be a beauty, even when she was a plump nine-year-old or a teenager stressing over her pimples and her braces and which conditioner to use. But damn, I never imagined she’d be like this supermodel I can barely recognize, this woman who can light up a whole town, who oozes grace and confidence with her every move, who I just can’t tear my gaze away from.

  When did Claire grow up to be the most attractive woman I’ve ever set eyes on?

  Again, she laughs. I wonder what the man beside her is saying that she finds so funny. I wonder what he…

  My lips curve into a frown as I realize who the man is. It’s Asher, of course. If my oldest brother, Ethan, is always with the most important person in the room, trying to impress – right now, he’s playing carols on the piano for the Chairman of the Board and his wife – Asher is always with the prettiest woman in the room.

  Usually, I leave him alone. As much as I hate to admit it—and I never have out loud—of the three of us Hawthorne brothers, Asher is the expert on women. He knows just what to say to them, how to catch their eye, make them laugh, make them swoon and crawl into bed with him. The women throw themselves at him and he knows just what to do with them. He enjoys it, too. And while he sometimes gets into trouble, most of the time he just has his fun and moves on.

  Well, I’m not letting him have fun with Claire. I’m not letting him have anything with her.

  I march over to the 17-foot tree. Asher sees me and grins.

  “Well, look who’s decided to join us. My little brother who just joined the family company recently.”

  Recently? It’s been three months since I joined the Mergers and Acquisitions Department at Hawthorne Holdings as a Junior Analyst. I was thinking of joining Marketing at first, but my dad convinced me I’d do better at M&A. My brothers agreed.

  Asher turns to Claire. “You remember Ryker, don’t you?”

  Remember me? I’m her brother’s best friend. And yet, she doesn’t say anything. Is she ignoring me? If so, I’d like to know why but first, I have to get rid of Asher.

  “Asher.” I place my arm around him. “Mr. Thorpe seems to like music. Maybe you should bring out your guitar and play something for him.”

  He glances at the piano and shakes his head. “Nah. No matter how well I play, I’m not going to be CEO anyway. And I don’t want to be. It’s too much hard work. No time for play.”

  He winks at Claire. I give him a warning look before turning to her.

  “Have you seen Joel?”

  “Nope,” she answers. “I’m not my brother’s keeper.”

  Her spunky tone takes me aback. So she didn’t just grow a foot taller and a couple of bra sizes bigger. She has claws now, too?

  Asher laughs. I narrow my eyes at him.

  “What?”

  “You look like someone just poured a bucket of piss over your head,” he says.

  That doesn’t make any sense. Then again, a lot of what Asher says doesn’t make any sense.

  “Let me tell you something, little brother.” Asher places his arm around my shoulder. “Never ask a woman where someone else is. It’s not a good pick-up line.”

  “I wasn’t—”

  “Actually, don’t let a question be the first thing you give a woman. She’ll just seize the opportunity to shut you down before you’ve even started.”

  “Like the great Asher Hawthorne has been shut down before,” Claire says.

  Asher chuckles. “Seems like someone’s heard of me.”

  I push his arm off. “You mean Claire has heard of the games you play? Of course she has. Joel knows so she knows.”

  Asher’s eyebrows furrow. “You told Joel about my sex life?”

  I shrug. “He’s my best friend.”

  “And I’m your brother.”

  “Who won’t shut up about all the women he has sex with. It’s not like it’s some big secret.” I point out.

  “That’s weird,” Claire says. “He hasn’t told me about a single one. So, how many have there been, Asher?”

  I look at her in shock. Did she just ask that?

  “Oh, come on, Ryker.” She gives my arm a playful shove. “I’m no longer a child.”

  My eyebrows go up. Is she saying she isn’t a virgin anymore?

  “You sure don’t look like one,” Asher says.

  I pull him aside.

  “Stay away from her,” I warn him in words since the looks I’ve given him haven’t worked.

  Asher still doesn’t seem the least bit thwarted.

  “The question is, little brother, can she stay away from me?”

  “Stop calling me that,” I tell him. “And I mean what I said.”

  I grab Claire’s arm. “Come on. Let’s go somewhere else.”

  I lead her away from Asher but not before he speaks again.