A Mutually Beneficial Secret: A Spicy Secret Office Relationship RomCom (The Unexpected Book 3), page 21
Colin kisses my forehead. “Nothing is ridiculous when you’re hurting. When you didn’t come into work and didn’t respond to any of my attempts at contact, I didn’t know what else to do. You deserve better than the hurt I caused. Even if you forgive me, I’m still not there yet. I deserve to lose my job.”
I sigh. “Not happening. You’d get sent back to London, and that doesn’t work for me. Steve said you can still rescind the resignation, and if you want my true forgiveness, you better do that.”
His fingers stroke my cheeks, and there is a spark back in his gray eyes that I’ve missed these last two days. “What if I don’t go back to work for Steve?”
I’m not sure how to respond to that, because I don’t know what else he would do besides go back to London, which wouldn’t give us the ending I’m hoping for.
“What if I tell Steve that I’ll still work for Alliteration, but I want whatever job I can get in North Carolina?”
My mouth opens and closes, but no words come out. In all of my thinking, I hadn’t considered moving back home as an option. I mean, I should have. Working with Alliteration on a publishing deal doesn’t mean I need to be in LA.
“Seriously? You’d leave here for me?” I finally croak out.
He nods, rubbing his thumb over the top of my hand. “After seeing how close the three of you are and how much you were hurting after your friends left, I knew keeping you from them was never going to make you happy in the long run.”
I throw my arms around his neck and kiss his lips, then around his whole face as I pull him closer to me. “Thank you. Thank you so damn much.”
His forehead presses against mine, and he smiles softly. “I love you, Piper. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to make you happy.”
My heart leaps from my chest to my throat, and I roughly press my lips to his again. “I love you, too. So much it hurts.”
His tongue sweeps inside my mouth, and he bends me backward, kissing me so thoroughly that I can hardly breathe when he lifts me back up.
“Get these boxes out of your car. You’re not moving. Yet,” I say, needing him naked and in his bed as soon as possible.
“These were book donations I was going to make to the library, but if I don’t have to ship them overseas again, then I will gladly keep them.”
I grip his shirt tightly. “And I will gladly keep you.”
Epilogue
NOW AND FOREVER
Colin
Eighteen Months Later
It’s been a wild ride ever since Piper forgave me. A ride I never could have predicted, but one I’ve enjoyed the hell out of.
As I stand at the barbeque in our backyard and watch our friends laugh while playing cornhole, I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be.
Piper walks toward me, smiling from ear to ear and eating one of Celia’s famous dick cookies. Bentley tried to get me to veto them at our house, but that wasn’t happening according to Piper. Celia hadn’t been someone I heard too much about until after talks of moving to North Carolina started. Bentley’s sister is now an integral part of their girl gang, and I learned early on not to question the things those women do. The four of them together can instill very real fear in a man.
“How’s my superstar wife?” I ask teasingly while wiping a bit of crumbs from the corner of her mouth with my thumb. She’s practically glowing, and she should be, considering all that’s been happening.
She shoves me lightly. “Unsure why you’re calling her a superstar, but joyous nonetheless.”
I tap my chin dramatically. “Hmm, I wonder. Maybe it’s because her debut book has been on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists for four weeks in a row, and she has movie producers sniffing around?”
The blush that covers her cheeks only makes me love her more. She published that wolf shifter book just last month under a pseudonym that she, Kenzie, and Ella came up with: Aria Collins. I’d voted for her to at least use Piper, but she insisted on some sort of anonymity just in case things went south. Plus, I couldn’t complain much when she used my first name in the surname.
Now, I’m thinking the pseudonym is going to be better to give her a semblance of privacy.
She leans up on her toes and kisses me. “In case I haven’t told you lately… Thank you for believing in me, even when I wanted to give up so many times, and for giving me all of this.”
She turns around and gestures to Ella, Owen, Kenzie, Bentley, Celia, and her fiancé Aiden standing across the yard. Tears build in her eyes.
“No thanks needed. I’m pretty sure I got more out of this deal than you did,” I say with a wink.
We moved to North Carolina just six months after Piper signed her book deal. Just as I hoped, the changes within the company that were already in the works opened up a spot at the publishing house here that Piper used to work for and, even though it was a pay cut, I took the editor position without question.
Telling Piper that we were moving to North Carolina was the second greatest day of my life. The first being when she became my wife the month after we got here.
Behind us, Ella runs toward the house with a worried Owen right behind her. Piper’s eyes go wide, and she turns to look at Kenzie, who is already shrugging.
My hand rubs Piper’s back. “I’m sure she’s fine.”
She nods, but her eyes don’t stray from the back door. Ella and Owen have been struggling with fertility issues, which has undoubtedly caused strain between the two of them, but we all keep hoping and praying that they’ll get the baby they so badly desire.
A bark and playful growl distract us momentarily from the concern. I glance over to find Kenzie and Bentley’s dog running from Bentley with two bean bags from the game in his mouth.
“Zeus, drop it,” he demands, and I swear I see laughter in the dog’s eyes. “I mean it, dog. Give those back.”
The massive beast just waggles his tail and runs right around Bentley, who then turns to point at his wife. “This is your fault. You picked the most devious dog on purpose.”
Kenzie blows him a kiss. “I thought you loved devious since you married me.”
He grumbles something I can’t hear, and I chuckle, wrapping an arm around Piper. “We should get one of those.”
“A dog? Really?” she asks.
I shrug. “That. Or we can try for a baby and see what happens.”
She blinks rapidly, then finally grins. “Too bad we can’t start trying right now.”
My hands tug her flush against me. “Who says we can’t? Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve snuck off,” I whisper against her lips.
She kisses me softly. “As much as I want to say yes, I need to go check on Ella.”
Kenzie and Celia are already headed our way and Kenzie snags Piper’s arm before I can give my wife another kiss.
“Come on. Let’s go put our noses where we know they belong,” the redhead says with an evil glint in her eyes.
Though, before they can make it far, Owen and Ella come through the door, both with grins on their faces.
Piper covers her mouth and squeals, while Kenzie lets out an excited, “Fuck, yeah!” and Celia starts to tear up, waving a hand in front of her eyes.
Confusion fills me until Ella nods and starts crying and laughing at the same time. Owen backs away, and all four women hug in a tangle of arms and flying hair as they jump together.
Bentley and Aiden join me. “What’s happening?” the former asks.
“No damn clue, mate,” I say.
Owen grasps my and Bentley’s shoulders but looks at all three of us. “How do each of you feel about becoming uncles?”
“No shit?” Bentley says, then glances behind Owen. “You’re sure?”
Owen nods with a huge grin plastered to his face. “Yep. The doctor called with confirmation while she was throwing up just now. She’s ten weeks along and has been sick daily. Apparently, that’s a great sign. Though, it feels weird to celebrate my wife vomiting.”
Aiden nods and gives a slight shudder. “I remember hearing my mom get sick when I was a teen and then being really confused when she’d celebrate. In her defense, she’d lost a few babies before my baby sister and never told me. I’d had no clue until I was an adult. Just roll with it, man.”
Owen’s grin stretches across his face. “Oh, I plan to do more than roll with it.”
My chest swells and I’m beyond happy for them after everything Piper had shared with me about their attempts to conceive, but I’m even more excited for my wife to be ready for the same thing. Apparently, I’m the only one standing here thinking that way.
Bentley groans. “Don’t take this the wrong way, O…but now they’re all going to want babies and I can barely control the damn dog. What the fuck am I supposed to do with a child?”
Owen and I both laugh at him and Aiden, who is now cringing, and suddenly everything feels right.
Piper
“Please, don’t break my hand,” I beg Ella as my fingers start to go numb.
She snarls at me. “Tell your niece to quit trying to break my vagina!”
Owen winces and strokes her hair back. “Amelia isn’t trying to break anything. She’s just eager to meet you. Don’t you want to see whose eyes and nose she has?”
Ella takes several deep breaths before nodding. “I guess.”
The doctor’s head pops back up. “Last push if you can give it your best.”
The glare Ella cuts toward her doctor frightens even me. “I’ll show you my best.”
Owen and I share a look of dread, then I glance at the opening door.
Kenzie comes in with coffee and balloons, then nearly drops both. “Shit. I almost missed the action.”
I gladly let Kenzie step in, taking Ella’s death grip from my withered hand. Lucky Celia is still an hour out thanks to a supply run she had to do today and is missing the physical abuse I’ve been enduring.
Ella’s grunts and screams are so loud that I’m sure the rest of the hospital can hear her, and it makes me worry about what I’ll be like in just six months.
“That’s it, Ella. Give me everything you have left. I just need one more solid push,” the doc says with her face buried between Ella’s legs.
“It burns,” my best friend screams.
Kenzie makes the mistake of snickering. “I read that’s called the ring of fire.” Not even a second later, Kenzie is nearly on her knees. “Damn it, woman. Ease up.”
I lean closer to Kenzie. “I wouldn’t mention any more rings of fire for at least several weeks.”
She scoffs. “Now you tell me.”
Ella screams one last time while Owen and I bring her knees up, helping her to push harder.
“I hate you all so fucking much right now,” she says just before her body goes limp.
The doctor chuckles, and a shuddering cry captures our attention. “Don’t hate me too much. I want to introduce you to your son.”
My hand covers my face while Owen and Ella gasp, then Kenzie laughs. “You’ve got to be shitting us?”
Doc pulls the blanket back after settling the tiny little human on Ella’s chest. “Nope. No shitting around here, thankfully.”
As she goes back to tending to whatever is going down below for Ella, all of us just shrug and laugh. What else can we do?
Ella strokes his little scruff of hair. “I guess you’re going to need a new name, little one.”
“And a new room,” Owen mutters, but the awe on his face is undeniable.
Kenzie and I lean forward together, get our peeks, then give Ella a squeeze. “You three get to know each other and we’ll be back soon,” I say.
“Thank you,” Ella says to us before we leave to find our husbands.
Later that night, Colin and I are home from the hospital and lying in bed. I should be exhausted, but the adrenaline from watching my not-niece be born has yet to ease.
“I can’t believe Amelia is actually an Asher,” Colin says, kissing my belly. “Maybe we shouldn’t find out. Might be safer that way.”
My hands grip the sides of his head, and I narrow my eyes at his perfect face. “Not a chance in hell.”
His chuckle over my stomach sends shivers up my spine and I involuntarily push closer to him. “How are my chances looking at making love to my wife when she’s been awake for more than twenty-four hours?”
“Pretty damn good,” I say, reaching for his shoulders.
A thud sounds at the end of the bed, followed by a meow, and I see Sir Charles saunter his way toward us. He’s been extra needy since I found out I was pregnant.
“And there go my chances,” Colin deadpans when I reach for the cat.
I scratch his back and give him a kiss on the nose. “Give Mommy and Daddy some time alone and I’ll give you the special treats.”
I swear the cat is too smart. He presses his head against mine, purrs loudly, then runs from the room.
Colin grins, then kisses my tiny baby bump once more before climbing further over me. “I love you so fucking much some days that I think my chest is going to explode.”
“I feel like I should be sorry about that, but I’m really not,” I tease, then capture his mouth with mine.
Our tongues tangle while Colin’s hands move slowly up my sides, tugging my nightgown up as he goes.
Once the soft fabric is out of our way, I reach for his boxer briefs to find they’re already gone. “Cocky much?”
He bites at my neck. “Just hopeful you’d choose me over the furball.” His hand lifts my thigh until my ankle is level with his head. “I really want to tie you to this bed and have my way with you, but I don’t think I can wait, either.”
“Then, don’t,” I beg.
As much as I love his wild ways in the bedroom, some nights I just need my husband and nothing else. After an emotional day, this is one of those nights.
The head of his cock rubs against my clit, causing me to flinch with need.
“Your wish is my command.” Colin enters me in one swift motion, and I still dig my nails into his arms, even all these months later.
Our gazes lock, and the amount of love from him that I feel penetrating into my soul nearly takes my breath away.
He rocks against me and runs his fingers over my chest in a circular motion. “I love you, little bird.”
“I love you, too, my handsome husband.”
My hands reach for his face and tug him closer as his hips start to move again in slow, deep thrusts.
The pace of our kiss matches the pace of our lovemaking, and I can’t help from smiling against his soft lips.
Never in my life did I expect to meet this wonderful man or have things turn out the way they did, but not for one second do I regret any choice or the bumps in the road that got us to this moment.
Together. Now and forever. Because nothing has ever felt more right than being with Colin and carrying our child.
Thank you so much for reading the final book in my Unexpected Series!
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Also by Harper Reed
The Unexpected Series
A Spicy RomCom Trilogy featuring three best friends and their happily-ever-afters!
A Mutually Beneficial Proposal
A Mutually Beneficial Mistake
A Mutually Beneficial Secret
Coming Soon Standalones
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A Spicy RomCom with royal antics, an oops marriage, and a kingdom that needs their new queen.
Releasing early 2023!
Date Bait
A Spicy RomCom about woman who has tried and failed to get the attention of her brother’s sexy best friend. Now, it’s time to up the ante.
Releasing in 2023!
The Fire Next Door
A Spicy RomCom about single dad fireman and his new, attractive neighbor that soon finds herself bringing by more than chocolate chip cookies.
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Acknowledgments
When I first started on this journey back in 2019, I failed. Epicly. I never even managed to write one word in the story I wanted. Then, nearly two years later, my desire to write RomComs was just as strong as ever.
I still wasn’t sure I could do this and do it the way I wanted, but with a small team behind me, I finally did! I took the chance and I’m so thankful to the readers who embraced this unknown author and her crazy stories!
I’m also thankful for my assistant Kelly Stepp who handled all of those little details for me that I would have never thought of. You are amazing and I shall keep you in my pocket forever!
My editor and best friend who has, until now, remained unnamed… Jamie Holmes. I love you, my asstie, bestie boo. Thank you for not quitting on me even when I know there were days you were tempted. Oops!
To my other assistant Michelle Fitz who helped me keep this secret while still being my emotional support person. All the love!
