“Ledger.” His name is a whisper of disbelief.

  “And I figured if I was going to cash my father’s check, it might as well go toward something we make together. To a new beginning for us.”

  I want to look everywhere and nowhere but him all at the same time. Time hasn’t changed that. “I’m at a loss for words.”

  “We’ll figure us out. Maybe you come with me to New York for part of the year while George and Angel run The Fields. Then we come and spend summers here like I used to. You always said George was family to your pop and gran, so you’d still be keeping it in the family. If that doesn’t work, we’ll split our time more evenly. You can go to school in New York if you want. Fulfill your dream. Make your mark. Be whoever you want to be . . . so long as you be with me while you do it.”

  I look all around me and am stunned.

  I have never felt more loved than in this moment. Than by him. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say yes, Asher. Say you’ll do this with me. That you’ll be with me. That you’ll depend on me.” He kneels and when I look down, all I can see is the love swimming in his eyes. It’s then that he opens a box with a ring in it. It’s gorgeous and sparkly. I don’t even look at it long enough to know what it is because he’s all I want to look at.

  He’s all I want.

  Ledger. My moonlight boy.

  I love him. I think I always have. I press a kiss to his lips.

  “On one condition,” I murmur.

  He leans back, his eyes dancing with amusement. “What’s that?”

  “That you’ll love me forever.”

  Ledger

  One Year Later

  This is what she wanted.

  I offered her a trip to anywhere in the world. The private jet. Adventure. Relaxation. Anything she could ever want or think of to ring in her birthday, and this is what she chose.

  It’s not like I should expect any less.

  It is Asher, isn’t it? And it’s one of the main reasons I fall more in love with her each day. The number of zeros in our bank account doesn’t matter.

  But this does.

  Her family.

  Her history.

  Her connection to this place that no amount of time will ever break.

  And there she is, standing beneath the strings of lights, with the lavender at her back and her friends all around her.

  Christ. She’s gorgeous. Easygoing yet complicated. And all fucking mine. How in the hell did that happen? How did I get so lucky?

  “You’re her one birthday wish. All she wanted was for you to be here,” I murmur into Gran’s ear. She barely responds—a flicker of her fingers, a barely-there lift of one corner of her lips—but with her steep decline, it’s more than any of us could hope for. “Thank you for that.”

  I give a gentle squeeze to her shoulders as I glance at the two private caregivers I hired to get Gran here and give a nod in appreciation.

  The music on the speaker changes, followed by a cheer of approval by everyone on the dance floor. They arrange themselves in lines and start doing matching moves as they dance in unison.

  Nita can’t stop smiling as she tries to teach her son the moves, no doubt embarrassing the hell out of him. Hank weaves in and out of the moving rows, delivering drinks despite my insistence that he’s not to work or tend the bar tonight. Carson Allen trips over his own feet but doesn’t care, because he’s too busy flirting with the date he brought. And then there’s Tootie in her neon pink dress with crooked pigtails, unabashedly mowing down every sweet there is on the dessert table.

  Asher’s laugh rings out, drawing my attention back to her. I move toward the edge of the barn so I can see her better as she dances with our friends.

  Happiness has never looked so good on someone. I like to think that I helped get her to this point, but then again, the woman is a force to be reckoned with. Her happiness is her own.

  She looks up and searches through the small crowd of people. She pauses mid-dance move when she finds me. Our gazes lock. Her eyes dance with fire she reserves just for me. And when she smiles, I know I’ve never made a better decision in my life than fighting for her.

  I note when both of my brothers step up on either side of me.

  Callahan whistles. “Should we entertain the crowd for you?”

  “What do you mean?” I take a sip of my beer.

  “That look can only mean one thing when a woman gives it to you.” Ford chuckles. “She wants you. Right now. Maybe even in the loft of the barn for a quickie while we’re all obliviously occupied out here.”

  “You’re so full of shit.” The teasing never stops.

  “Full of shit?” Callahan snorts and points to where Sutton is cradling my adorable baby niece dressed in a bright yellow romper. “It’s the same look Sutton gave me that got me that.”

  “And you wouldn’t have it any other way,” I say as I look at Callahan. He’s still staring at Sutton and his daughter with an expression I never thought I’d see on his face—absolute and complete love and adoration.

  “You’re right. I wouldn’t,” he murmurs.

  “What about you? When do you two plan to have kids . . . or is that not on the Ledger-approved ten-year plan?” Ford asks, earning the arm I hook around his neck and the tug I give it.

  “There is a ten-year plan still, right?” Callahan asks as I stand there silently and simply watch Asher.

  “For some things, yes,” I murmur, still mesmerized by my wife. “For other things, not so much.”

  “Holy shit.” Ford staggers back playfully. “Did I just hear that right?”

  I nod and smile.

  He sure did.

  Chaos has overtaken my life—and I’ve welcomed it. It’s been in the last-minute decisions to fly back to Cedar Falls to unwind. Or the impulsive midnight run for an ice cream cone and a walk in The Battery. It’s been in Asher’s greeting me at the door after a long day of work for me and studying for her in nothing but heels and some lacy panties—and then making love on the outdoor terrace of our penthouse.

  Spontaneity is something I never knew until Asher. Never appreciated. An intimate wedding she planned in a few weeks’ time. Study groups in our family room. Playing hooky from work to steal a few more hours with her. Forgetting to move the goalposts because I’m perfectly fine with where they are.

  All plans out the window.

  Asher taught me that.

  Is still teaching me that, and honestly, I couldn’t be any fucking happier.

  She helped me find joy—genuine fucking joy—for the first time in my adult life. It didn’t come from sealing a multi-million-dollar deal or getting the write-up in Forbes that came out a few months back—it was in her.

  Simply put . . . it is her.

  “Uh-oh,” Ford mutters, drawing me back from my thoughts and to the party.

  “What?” I look up to see Asher moving toward me.

  “Time to go keep the crowd busy so Ledge can get busy himself up in the loft,” Callahan says.

  “Whatever.” But by the time I look at either of them, they’re on the move, their laughter loud.

  And then she’s in front of me with that disarming smile of hers that presses against my lips.

  “Having fun?” she asks.

  “I am. You?”

  “I’m fine. This is perfect.” Another press of her lips to mine. “Thank you for throwing me a birthday party. For getting Gran here. For . . . being you.”

  Is it possible to fall more in love with someone each day?

  “I’m glad. It’s not lounging on the beach in Seychelles, but . . .” I tease.

  “But it’s exactly what I needed to refuel after finals and a busy season here at The Fields—”

  “And all that incredible sex we’ve been having.”

  “Yes.” She laughs. “That too.”

  I chuckle. “I guess this is when I tell you that my brothers just bailed because they’re convinced you were coming over here so we could have a quickie in the loft.”

  She arches one eyebrow as a mischievous smile slides onto her lips. “Is that so?”

  “It is.” I nod. Her eyes challenge me, sending my hopes soaring.

  “Hmm.” She purses her lips and looks around. “It’s only natural for the host and hostess to disappear every now and again to check on supplies and make sure we have everything our guests need.”

  “Is that so?” I set down my beer, shove my hands in my pockets, and take a few steps toward the open barn door.

  “It most definitely is.” She leans into me. “Knowing how many napkins we have is of vital importance.” And then whispers against my lips, “Meet you up there in five.”

  When she walks away from me with an extra swing to her hips, there is only one thought in my head.

  I’m glad she chose me.

  So fucking glad.

  Did you enjoy Asher and Ledger’s journey back toward each other and their deserved happily ever after? Are you intrigued by both Callahan and Ford and want to find out more about them? There are two other books in the S.I.N. series. (The books can be read in any order). You can find them here:

  Last Resort

  Final Proposal

  Are you looking for another wealthy book boyfriends to warm your metaphorical bed? Why not get acquainted these other K. Bromberg’s heroes:

  Faking It (standalone, billionaire hero, fake dating, forced proximity): After a little white lie spirals out of control, billionaire Zane Phillips hires Harlow Nicks to play his girlfriend to promote his new dating website. The problem? She doesn’t exactly like him. But a job is a job and she has bills to pay. But as the miles unfurl, so does their passion . . . and if Harlow’s not careful, she might end up believing that fairytales really do come true. Find Faking It here.

  Wicked Ways Duet: This two book series (Resist, Reveal) will hit all your buttons. Taboo/Forbidden Romance. Enemies to Lovers. Strong Alpha. A hint of suspense. Vaughn and Ryker are a battle of wills from the start but will win each other’s hearts in the end. Find out more about the Wicked Ways duet HERE.

  Play Hard Series: Four sisters try to save their family’s sports management agency, and in the process, they find their soulmates. Tropes used are sports romance (each book deals with a different sport), military romance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, British hero, childhood crush . . . and on and on. Each book focuses on a different set of tropes. Find out which ones by clicking HERE.

  New York Times Bestselling author K. Bromberg writes contemporary romance novels that contain a mixture of sweet, emotional, a whole lot of sexy, and a little bit of real. She likes to write strong heroines and damaged heroes, who we love to hate but can’t help to love.

  A mom of three, she plots her novels in between school runs, sports practices, and figuring out how to navigate parenting teenagers (send more wine!). More often than not, she does all of this with her laptop in tow, and her mind daydreaming of the current hero she is writing.

  Since publishing her first book on a whim in 2013, Kristy has sold over two million copies of her books across twenty different countries and has landed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists over thirty times. Her Driven trilogy (Driven, Fueled, and Crashed) has been adapted for film and is available on the streaming platform Passionflix, Amazon, and other streaming platforms.

  You can find out more about Kristy, her books, or just chat with her on any of her social media accounts. The easiest way to stay up to date on new releases and upcoming novels is to sign up for her newsletter or follow her on Bookbub.

 

 

  K. Bromberg, On One Condition

 

 

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