Second chance rival, p.19
Second Chance Rival,
p.19
“How do you know it’s a boy?”
“I know these things.” Looking down at her stomach, I whispered, “I can’t wait until I’m holding you in my arms.”
My eyes locked with hers, filled with fresh tears. “You’re going to make me cry.”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
An emotion I was unfamiliar with crept into my mind.
“What is it?”
“I didn’t think I could be this happy. How did I get so lucky?”
She smiled.
Big.
Bright.
Beaming.
“We both got lucky. I can’t wait to have a family with you.”
“What names do you like?”
“Hmmm, if it’s a boy, how about Tristian Chase Hawkins II? And if it’s a girl, I like the name Harlow after my grandmother. What about you?”
“Whatever you want is fine with me.”
“Wow. So all I had to do was get pregnant for you to surrender your control?”
“Pick and choose your battles, kitten.”
She giggled.
“I love that laugh more than anything.”
“You know what I love?”
“You mean other than me?”
“I love that you always say the sweetest things.”
“I thought I was an asshole?”
“You’re an asshole who sometimes says the sweetest things.”
“I do what I can.”
“I want to have a party to celebrate the baby.”
“If that’s what you’d like, then we’ll make it happen.”
She wrapped her arms around my neck. “I could get used to you being all compliant.”
“You’re carrying my baby. It’s the least I can do.”
“I’m going to remember that the next time I’m super hormonal.”
“I plan to keep you pregnant for the next four years.”
“I may have to take you up on that if this is how I’ll be treated.”
I kissed her. “I’ve barely gotten started.”
She smiled and kissed me back. “Tell me something you’ve never told anyone.”
“Oh, we’re back to this game?”
She playfully nodded.
“Before I went home to pack after your debutante ball, I visited my parents’ grave.”
Her mouth parted.
“I asked them to give me the strength to leave you without saying goodbye.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
“The day before we got married, I went to their graves again and asked them to give me that same strength to make you fall in love with me like you did back then.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I’d love to visit them with you one day.”
“I’d love nothing more than introducing you to them. I’d also love to take our baby once he or she is born to meet them as well.”
“I think that’s a perfect idea. I need to thank them for making me love street bikes, which is what ultimately led me to you.”
“I would have found you anywhere, kitten. They just sped up the process.”
“If more than one life exists, I pray that in my next life we’re together again.”
“I’ll find you in every life, Belle Hawkins. Our souls are connected.”
She beamed, and I spoke with conviction…
“You’ll forever be my second chance rival.”
Epilogue
—Tristian—
One month later
“Oh my God, Tristian! I can’t believe pregnant women turn you on this much. You can’t keep your hands off me.”
I chuckled. “You turn me on, kitten. You being pregnant is just an added bonus.”
“Our guests are piling in. You can’t keep cornering me every chance you get.”
“You fucking love it.”
“I do, but my parents don’t need to know how you keep putting your hand up my dress.”
I looked around the kitchen. “We’re alone.”
“Now? You scared off the catering service with all the orders you were barking.”
“I don’t bark, kitten.” I grinned and reached for her. “I growl.”
She laughed and moved away from me.
“Do you think that’s going to stop me?”
“No. If anything it only entices you more.”
“I love to chase my wife around our home.”
“Trust me—I know and so does our staff. Paige won’t come into my office without knocking anymore.”
“She should have knocked before she walked in to find my face buried in between your legs.”
“When is your face not buried in between my legs?”
“It’s not right now.” I reached for her again. “Let’s rectify that.”
She put her hand up in the air, halting my descent. “We can rectify it later, when our house isn’t filled with our friends and family.”
“We’re only having this party because you wanted one, kitten. I couldn’t care less about who’s in our house right now. The only thing I want is my wife to be screaming my name.”
“Tristian!” She blushed. “Feel better now?”
In one stride, I grabbed her and turned her around. With her back against my chest, I nuzzled her neck.
“You know what that does to me.”
“Why do you think I’m doing it?”
“You’re insatiable.”
“Insatiably in love with you.”
“Tris—”
I yanked up her dress and slid her panties down, shutting her right up.
“Oh, you like that, huh?”
She moaned. “You’re cheating. I’m pregnant and horny all the time.”
“No shit. I’m a lucky bastard.”
She rocked her hips against my hand when all of a sudden, we heard, “Jesus! Can you guys stop mauling each other for five minutes?” Paige exclaimed, immediately turning her back.
I didn’t hesitate in replying, “Well, I was about to make her see God.”
—Belle—
I instantly stepped away from him and smoothed my hand over my dress. “Paige! I’m so sorry! I tried to warn him, but he wasn’t having it.”
“The number of times I’ve walked in on you guys should be illegal.”
Our families couldn’t be happier that we were already pregnant. His grandfather said the Hawkins always do things right the first time. They were planning our baby’s future, but I was enjoying the delight they felt from us making a baby together.
I was counting down the days until he or she would finally be here. They would be so loved. I couldn’t wait to decorate the nursery and buy all the things. Tristian was actually more involved than I thought he would be. For a big, tough man, our baby had the power to bring him to his knees.
Life was good.
Great.
I don’t think I’d ever been happier than I was now.
The future looked amazing, and I was grateful we had a second chance to make our love prevail.
“I’m going to get a drink.” Tristian kissed my cheek and then licked his fingers that had just been in my panties before he left the kitchen.
This man…
“You guys need more self-control.” Paige walked over to me. “You act like teenagers.”
“One day when you’re in love, I’m going to remind you of what you just said.”
“Yeah, I don’t have time to fall in love.”
“You need to make time.”
She shook her head.
“Come to think of it, you haven’t had a boyfriend in like two years.”
“And look how well that turned out.”
“You just need to find the right man.”
As if on cue, Tristian walked in with Adrian Drake by his side.
“Paige, I’d like to introduce you to—”
The expression on her face was enough to render me speechless. I never expected her to say…
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
The end.
For Tristian and Belle.
It’s only the beginning, or is it the end for…
Adrian and Paige.
What happens when the man who broke your heart ends up being your new boss?
Second Chance Mine (Standalone/Second Chance Romance)
Releasing Oct 25, 2022
PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW
Acknowledgments
Executive assistant & all around the reason I can write: Heather Moss
Cover Designer: Lori Jackson
Publicist: Danielle Sanchez
Agent: Stephanie DeLamater Phillips
Bloggers/Bookstagrammers: Without you I’d be nothing. Thank you for all your support always.
My VIPS/Readers
Photographer: Wander Aguiar
Cover Model: Vinicious
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Street Team & Hype Girls: You’re the best.
My alphas & betas:
Thank you for helping me bring this book to life.
Meet M. Robinson
M. Robinson is the Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of more than thirty novels in Contemporary Romance and Romantic Suspense. Crowned the “Queen of Angst” by her loyal readers, you’ll feel the cut of her pen slicing through your heart as your soul bleeds upon the words of her stories with each turn of the page.
Most notably known for the Good Ol’ Boys, M’s newest venture has graced her with the #1 Bestseller on Apple Books with Second Chance Contract. The Second Chance Men are powerful, intelligent and will sweep you off your feet and leave you weak in the knees–every woman’s wildest dreams.
M. lives the boat life along the Gulf Coast of Florida with her two puppies and real life book boyfriend, the inspiration for all her filthy talking alphas, Bossman.
When she isn’t in the cave writing her next epic love story, you can usually spot her mad-dashing through Target or in the drive-thru of Starbucks, refueling. Yes, she’s a self-proclaimed shopaholic, but only if she’s spending Bossman’s money.
You can follow M, Ted, Marley, and Bossman on Facebook, Instagram, and her absolute favorite social platform-TikTok.
www.authormrobinson.com
M. Robinson Reading List
SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE
Second Chance Contract
Second Chance Vow
Second Chance Scandal
Second Chance Love
ANGSTY ROM-COM
The Kiss
The Fling
MAFIA/ORGANIZED CRIME ROMANCE
El Diablo
El Santo
El Pecador
Sinful Arrangement
Mafia Casanova
Co-written with Rachel Van Dyken
Falling for the Villain
Co-written with Rachel Van Dyken
SMALL TOWN ROMANCE
Complicate Me
Forbid Me
Undo Me
Crave Me
SINGLE DAD/NANNY ROMANCE
Choosing Us
Choosing You
ENEMIES TO LOVERS ROMANCE
Hated You Then
Love You Now
MC ROMANCE
Road to Nowhere
Ends Here
MMA FIGHTER ROMANCE
Lost Boy
ROCK STAR ROMANCE
From the First Verse
‘Til the Last Lyric
BUNDLES
Sinacore Crime Family Collection
Co-written with Rachel Van Dyken
Road to Nowhere/Ends Here
Jameson Brothers
Sinner/Saint Duet
Pierced Hearts Duet
Love Hurts Duet
Life of Debauchery Duet
EROTIC ROMANCE
VIP
The Madam
MVP
Two Sides
Tempting Bad
M. Robinson, Second Chance Rival
