My lip goes between my teeth. I know that pissed him off more than anything. Still… “NABI wants us to be their inaugural Nashville Power Couple for next year. It’s a fun new feature with a photo spread…”

  “Sounds like bullshit.”

  Sliding my plate away, I trace my finger over the sexy bump where the muscle moves in his square jaw. “Stop grinding. I think it would be great publicity.”

  He takes out his wallet, placing three twenties on the table. “Let’s get on the road. I’m ready to be in Savannah.”

  I get another kiss on the lips before he slides out of the blue vinyl booth, holding a hand to help me up. I’m about the size of a whale, and while I straighten my clothes, his hand automatically rubs my baby bump. He does it all the time. Sometimes he’ll lean down and kiss it, and I confess, it’s incredibly endearing.

  “You feel okay?” So much concern is in his pretty brown eyes. He’s changed so much since that first day in the office.

  “Yep. Just thinking how happy I am.” He kisses me again and leads me out to the car.

  We didn’t plan to get pregnant so fast. After a relatively small wedding on Tybee Island, we took our honeymoon trip to Sardinia, Italy.

  He kept the whole trip a total secret from me—even his new best friend Renée didn’t know where we were going. I asked repeatedly… The first day we were there, he took me to Sella del Diavolo, or the Devil’s Saddle in the Gulf of Cagliari, which he thought was hilarious. Sexy Devil…

  It was absolutely beautiful, and we spent several dreamy days in the hills overlooking the pebble beaches before returning to Nashville and settling into married life. Now we’re partners in life and in the renamed Fletcher-Morgan International.

  We were as busy in the bedroom as we were outside it. Patton was happy to finally be off the condoms, and I was happy to lose the interruptions. I faithfully took my pill… Until the weekend I picked up an eye infection and had to take a short round of antibiotics. It’s the only thing we can think happened.

  You know how you just know certain things? I’ve never been pregnant, but I could tell something had changed inside me… Six weeks later, I stopped off at the drugstore on the way home and grabbed an early pregnancy test.

  That night, when he got back from his jog, I had a small cake and two glasses of sparkling cider waiting. I’ll never forget the way his eyes changed when I told him. They burned with a mixture of love and pride and protective fire.

  He had me off my feet and out of my clothes before I finished my announcement. It’s one of my fondest memories—his hands spreading across my bare stomach, his warm lips pressing just below my navel. He looked up at me and smiled, and I knew… we were complete.

  For now.

  He’s already saying what we’ll do with our next baby, which I pretend I don’t hear.

  Tracing my fingers in the dark hair touching his collar, I wonder how I could possibly love anyone more than I love this man. He’s not a devil, but he is fierce…

  Patton

  “Daddy…” Marley shakes his head, taking a sip of his beer. “That’s some heavy shit right there. Shaping another life…”

  We’re hanging out at Doc’s Bar drinking Landsharks while Rocky and Renée—or Ray as my wife likes to call her—catch up on all things baby and birthing.

  “You should try it sometime.”

  He chuckles, looking better than he has in years. “I’m still getting used to the concept of husband.”

  Marley and Renée were married a month ago in the same place Rocky and I tied the knot. Under a canopy on the beach while Monarch butterflies migrated all around us. Renée timed their wedding to coincide with the eastern migration of the insects from Canada to Mexico.

  Of course she did.

  Truthfully, I’ve gotten to where I appreciate my sister-in-law’s eccentricities. I usually don’t have patience for such things, but a lot has changed.

  The day Rocky brought me here to see her for the first time since The Incident, I’d planned my whole apology speech. What I didn’t know is my then-future wife had told her I’d secured her loan. I never wanted anyone to know about that…

  I got out of the car and saw her on the porch of her beautifully restored home with tears in her eyes. My stomach sank. Rocky told me I’d hurt her, and while I don’t usually care if people can’t handle my directness, I felt like an ass. She’s the sister of the love of my life.

  But before I could speak, Renée walked straight across the front lawn and put her arms around my waist, hugging herself tightly to me. I hugged her back, and she whispered so only I could hear, “Thank you.”

  Shit, it almost broke me. I replied with my sincerest “I’m sorry,” and she only looked up at me, light glowing in her hazel eyes. “You helped me more than you know.”

  From that day, we’ve been pretty close. Marley was only with me in Nashville two more weeks, long enough to give us notice, before he came here to find her.

  Now he works in outside sales for a media company based in Atlanta and the two of them are like two eccentric peas in a pod.

  “Ray wants to have a Blessing Ceremony for Rocky while you’re here.”

  We’ve paid our tab and now we’re heading out to the car. I don’t like being away from my wife too long now that she’s so close to having the baby.

  This experience is a first for both of us, and unlike our in-laws, the Fletcher-Morgans like to have shit planned out and in a hospital with professionals all around.

  “Do I want to know what that is?”

  “It’s an ancient Navajo tradition that focuses on the spiritual rite of passing. Rocky’s becoming a mother. It’s a magical time.”

  My eyebrows rise. “What happens in a Blessing Ceremony?”

  He grins, gripping the top of my shoulder. “Woman stuff.”

  We’re back at the house pretty quickly, to find the sisters sitting on the front porch swing. Rocky pushes herself up when I appear, and I hustle over to help her. She’s so adorably huge. Around her neck is a necklace made of assorted stones and crystals and what looks like a little hand-made loop.

  “What’s this?” I lift it smiling into her eyes.

  She grins back, giving me a wink. “It’s my birth necklace. Ray made it. Each stone represents an energy she wants for the baby.”

  “It will remind you of the love and strength that surrounds you as you labor.” Renée joins us, putting her hands on our backs. “So much good energy here. This baby will be blessed.”

  I put my arm around her and kiss the top of her witchy head. “Thanks, Sugar Ray.”

  She waves her hand at my nickname for her and starts for the door. “I’m going to make you some red raspberry leaf tea. It promotes healthy labor.”

  Rocky looks up at me and grins, and I pull her close to me, pinning her against my chest. It’s a little harder to do now that Peaches is between us, but I still do it.

  This one’s mine.

  After a dinner where Renée brushes her sister’s hair, gives her tea, and then massages her hands and feet, we hit the feathers. I crash out almost immediately, but Rocky sits up reading. At some point she turns out the light, but it seems like only a second blinks past when I wake up confused.

  Reaching to the side, I find I’m alone in the bed. I feel all around, but only a large puddle of wetness is where Rocky should be. It’s too dark to see if the liquid is blood or something else… then I hear a scream that curdles my blood.

  My feet don’t even touch the floor. I’m out the room and flying in the direction of my wife’s voice when I’m caught around the waist by a band of iron.

  “Slow down! It’s a contraction.” Marley’s at my ear, and we’re both breathing hard.

  His face is coated in sweat, and his eyes look as frightened as I feel. “What the fuck?” I try to push past him, but he holds me.

  “Renée said not to let you burst in there like this. She said it’s negative energy. You’ve got to be calm.” He’s talking fast, and I’m struggling harder.

  “You’re not calm!”

  “That’s why she sent me out here.”

  Another scream from Rocky, and I physically lift my friend off the ground, moving him out of my way. My hand is on the door when it opens inward, and Renée steps out, closing it behind her.

  “Let me in there.” I’m breathing hard, and my voice sounds like sandpaper.

  “Stop this.” Her eyes are wide and stern. “You can’t go in there in a panic. You’ll scare her to death.”

  “She can’t have the baby here… Something could go wrong.” I’m not above picking my sister-in-law up and physically moving her as well.

  She puts her hands on my arms. “It’s too late. She’s dilated to ten centimeters. The baby is coming. If you try to take her now, she’ll have the baby in a car, and I guarantee you it will be far less safe and sanitary than my little birthing pool.”

  The noise of all our breath fills the silence. My hands grip the doorframe so hard, I’m surprised I don’t snap it like a twig. “We have to bring a doctor here.”

  I step back, but Renée catches my wrist. “You’re not going anywhere. Martin, see if Dr. Plimpton can come.”

  He’s running to the door almost before I can stop him. “Tell him to come. Tell him who I am. Tell him I’ll pay him one hundred thousand dollars.” Marley nods at the end of every sentence. “Take my car. If that doesn’t work, offer him two hundred thousand.”

  With wild eyes, my friend heads off into the night.

  Renée catches my face and looks straight into my eyes. “This baby is coming fast. She’s in the right position, and Rocky is healthy and strong. There’s no reason anything should go wrong. I need you to be calm. She needs you to be calm.”

  Swallowing my fear, I take her wrists. “I’m calm.”

  Calm is not as easy to maintain as it sounds.

  Visible relief washes over my wife’s face when I enter the room, and she starts to cry. “What’s happening?”

  “I heard we’re having a baby.” I kiss her cheek, positioning myself behind her at once, holding her back against my chest, doing everything Renée says.

  “Oh, God…” She starts to cry more, and I feel her fear.

  “It’s okay… You’ve got this. You’re my fighter.”

  Renée has her in an inflatable pool of water, and she’s only wearing my old tee. “Time to push, sis.”

  Rocky periodically squats like she’s going to the bathroom then cries out. She does it again and again until finally, Renée tells her to lean back against me. Her head is wet, and her teary eyes press against my neck. Her hands shake, hell, my hands shake. I’m shaking from head to toe, but I’m holding onto calm.

  “You got this, beautiful. Your body knows what to do.” I’m making it up as I go.

  I’m good until she sobs into my neck. “Patton, don’t let me die.”

  Then I just about lose my shit. “Renée…” My voice is a warning, and her hazel eyes meet mine.

  “Nobody’s going to die here.” Her voice goes high, like a song. “We’re going to welcome a new life to this magical circle of love.”

  Rocky shudders, and I wrap my arms around her, just above her stomach. “Come on, baby, you can do this.”

  “I’m so tired.” She’s crying, but Renée doesn’t stop urging her.

  “Last one. You can do it, Rocky!”

  Finding a strength more powerful than any man I’ve ever seen, my beautiful wife rises up and focuses on her sister. She grits her teeth and we all yell as Rocky pushes one last time and like a slippery bar of soap, our beautiful little Rosalyn Rose is with us. We decided to stick with R-names for our girls. She’s waving her fists and screaming her little head off.

  “Oh… oh!” Rocky is sobbing.

  I help lift her shirt, and Renée puts the baby on her mother’s bare chest. I’m sitting in the tub now, holding my wife in my lap and cradling them both in my arms.

  Renée quickly clips the umbilical cord and then wipes Rosie’s little face with a sponge and cotton balls of antibiotic ointment.

  “How did you learn how to do this?” I ask, watching in amazement.

  She glances up at me sheepishly, and Rocky shakes her head. “Oh, no.”

  They both start to laugh when Renée says, “YouTube.”

  I don’t want to know any more, and we’re all saved when Martin bursts through the door, a bedraggled looking old man behind him.

  “Is this the wonder woman?” The old doctor smiles when he sees Renée with her hair tied up around her head and her skirt looped between her legs like a field worker.

  “She’s perfect, doctor. Ten fingers, ten toes… Two powerful lungs.”

  Rosie is latched onto her mother’s breast and her round dark eyes study us all with a serious expression I can only recognize as mine.

  Pressing my lips together, I shake my head before kissing Rocky on the temple. “I think we’ll have to try again for Peaches. This one’s going to be a ball buster.”

  Her mamma only laughs and kisses her little head. “She’s a fighter all right. She’s going to be just like you—a heart of pure gold.”

  This woman. I hold her in my arms as she traces her fingers along the ink on my wrist.

  Renée and my best friend join us, wrapping us in what my zany sister-in-law calls a circle of love. With Rosie here, I don’t mind.

  I might have started out in charge, but Rocky flipped that script. Only she would see through my brokenness and love me in spite of it all. I’m a pretty tough boss, but she’s tougher than the rest. And with this little girl to seal it, she can gladly be the boss of me.

  Until Rosie starts walking and talking, of course…

  Thanks for reading BOSS OF ME!

  I hope you fell for Patton and Rocky as much as I did.

  Be watching for the audiobook version coming to Audible Oct/Nov 2019!

  Stephen Hastings is the hero of my sexy enemies-to-lovers stand-alone romance STAY (link).

  Get it now, Free in Kindle Unlimited and coming to Audible Oct. 2019!

  Keep clicking for a short sneak peek…

  WAIT FOR ME (link) is coming Dec. 17, 2019!

  A stand-alone, brother’s best friend, second-chance military romance about a wounded Marine (Taron Rhodes) who returns to the farm to find the sassy girl he left behind prettier than ever and holding a baby…

  Love is never simple, is it?

  WAIT FOR ME (link) will release LIVE to KU on Dec. 17, 2019!

  Sign up for my newsletter (link) or get a text alert when it’s live by texting TIALOUISE to 64600 now!*

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  Want MORE angsty, military romance?

  MAKE YOU MINE (link) is a sexy, stand-alone, second-chance, military romance you won’t forget.

  Read it now for FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

  Keep clicking for an short sneak peek…

  Stay

  Special Sneak Peek

  Stephen Hastings is a control freak.

  He’s arrogant. He’s smart as a whip and sexy AF.

  He has too much money. He’s bossy, and he’s usually right.

  All I saw were his clear blue eyes, tight ass, and ripped torso.

  I gladly handed him my V-card that night, ten years ago.

  I was so stupid. I swore I’d never be that stupid again…

  Emmy Barton works for a dry cleaner?

  Yes, that Emmy Barton—long, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, pretty smile…

  Sexy little ass. Smart mouth.

  She was the only girl who interested me, but I was leaving to be an officer in the Navy.

  Now I’m home, running my business. My life is perfectly ordered until I bump into her, divorced and struggling to make ends meet.

  I hate seeing her like this. I hate that she married Burt “The Dick” Dickerson. What an asshole.

  She says she hates me, but when we fight, it’s all heat and lust.

  I won’t leave her this way.

  She will let me help her and her son. She will stay…

  It’s a thin line between love and hate, and this line is on fire.

  (STAY is a STAND-ALONE enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, marriage of convenience romance. No cheating. No cliffhangers.)

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  Prologue

  Stephen

  Ten years ago…

  Stop crying, kid. Life isn’t fair.

  Humans invented fair as a pacifier, because they needed justice. Animals don’t know fair. In nature only the strong survive. You’re kind, loving, honest? Nice try.

  If you’re weak, you die.

  Or poor.

  “What are you thinking, Esteban?” Ximena lowers herself carefully into a dingy-brown, worn-out armchair, and I blink these thoughts away. “You were always the smartest boy in the room.”

  The gray strands outnumber the black in my old housekeeper’s hair. It’s thinner than it was when I was a boy, and she keeps it twisted in a low bun.

  “Now I’m a man.” I kiss the top of her head. “And I’d wager the whole city.”

  Her muscles tremble from exertion, but her eyes are bright. She still greets me with a smile, just like always when I visit. “Smartest man in the city. What is that like?”