“I love you too, Jake. I always will.”
He leaned in for another kiss. This time his voice was deeper, his loving tone laced with heat.
“What would you say if I asked you to start the honeymoon early, Mrs. McQueen?”
Olivia lifted onto her tiptoes and took her own kiss, still astonished that she’d have the right to do that any time she wanted for the rest of their lives.
She raised an eyebrow and gave him her own wry smile. “I’d say...race you to the car.”
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Beautiful Risk
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Taking a Risk, Part One
Beautiful Risk
R.I.S.C. Book 3
“Just grow a pair and ask her, already,” Derek said loudly.
“Shh! Keep your voice down, dipshit,” Trevor warned his friend. “She’ll hear you.”
Good. At least then she’ll know you’ve got a thing for her.”
“I don’t have a...thing for her.” It was the first lie Trevor had ever told his friend and teammate.
“Right. That’s why for the past few weeks, we’ve been coming here, to this outta-the-fuckin’-way diner to eat, instead of going somewhere in the same time zone as home.”
Trevor rolled his eyes. Derek could be so dramatic. “I like the food here.”
D laughed so loudly, several of the diner’s patrons turned their direction. “What the fuck ever, man. You’ve had a hard-on for that tiny, little blond thing ever since we stumbled across this place.”
Trevor’s eyes inadvertently slid to where the petite, blond waitress stood. She was taking an elderly couple’s order. When she smiled at something the older man said, Trevor suddenly found it hard to breathe.
“I don’t get it, man,” Derek’s southern drawl grew thick. “You’re single. Haven’t had a girl—serious, or otherwise—the entire time I’ve known you. What’s the deal?”
When Trevor remained quiet, Derek’s eyes widened. “Ah, shit. I’m sorry, Trev. I-I didn’t know. It’s cool, though. Really.”
Thoroughly confused, Trevor asked, “Didn’t know what?”
“Seriously, man. I don’t judge anyone for shit like that. Your lifestyle’s your own business. Even if you are battin’ for the same team, that don’t change the way I feel about—”
“Batting for...what in the hell are you talking about, Jones?” Trevor took a sip of tea the other waitress had brought him when they’d first arrived.
“I’m just sayin’, being gay ain’t nothin’ to be ashamed of.”
Iced tea shot out of Trevor’s mouth, covering the front of Derek’s t-shirt. “Jesus Christ,” Trevor grumbled as he reached for the paper napkins.
“Whoa!” Derek put his hands palm up, scooting as far back in his seat as he could. “What the hell, dude?”
“You know, for a genius, you really are a dumbass.”
Looking genuinely lost, D asked, “What did I say?”
Rolling his eyes again, Trevor impatiently explained, “Just because I don’t go to bed with every woman who looks in my direction, that doesn’t mean I’m gay.”
Derek began wiping the mess from his shirt. “Well, good. I mean, if you were, that would be cool, too. I just meant—”
“Hey, guys! I haven’t seen you here in while.” Alexis, the petite waitress they’d been discussing came to their table. “How have you been?”
Trevor glared a silent warning to Derek before turning and giving her a smile. Praying she hadn’t overheard their conversation, he said, “We’re, uh...we’re good. You?”
“Oh, you know,” she grinned and shrugged a shoulder. “I’m just livin’ the dream.”
Her sarcasm—and the adorable dimple in her left cheek—made Trevor smile even more. God, she’s pretty.
“So,” Alexis addressed Derek first. “What’ll you have?”
D’s expression tightened, as though he was contemplating something serious. “I think I’m in the mood to branch out. We should all do that now and then. You know, try tastin’ somethin’ we’ve wanted for a while, but have been too afraid to try.” His eyes slid to Trevor’s then back to hers. “Ain’t that right, Lex?”
Trevor had never wanted to punch Derek, until now. And if the guy kept this shit up, that was exactly what was going to happen.
Giving his friend a cute as hell giggle, she said, “Sure. I guess so.”
“See, Trev? Even this sweet, young thing agrees with me.”
“Well, then, what are you going to try, Derek?” Alexis asked, still smiling.
“I think I’ll go for the fish taco. Haven’t tried yours yet, and I’m curious to see what it’s like.” Derek looked across the table at him, a giant, shit-eating grin spreading across his face.
I’m going to kill him. Trevor worked hard to school his expression, even though he wanted to reach across the table, and beat the hell out of the other man. Thankfully, Alexis seemed to have missed Derek’s immature innuendo.
“One order of fish tacos. Got it. What about you, Trevor?” That sweet voice had Trevor’s head turning back toward her. Round, crystal blue eyes locked onto his. “Have you made a decision about what you want, yet?”
Derek started coughing exaggeratedly, and Trevor barely squelched the urge to kick the asshole’s shins beneath the booth.
“Oh, my gosh. Are you okay?” Alexis asked, genuinely concerned. She looked at his near-empty glass. “Hold on, I’ll go get you some more water.”
Before either man could stop her, the sweet woman was heading back to the other side of the counter and reaching for a pitcher.
Leaning on his elbows, Trevor spoke low and through his teeth. “What the hell’s the matter with you? What are you twelve?”
“What?” Derek shrugged, his coughing fit suddenly over. “I had a frog in my throat,”
“Yeah? Well, you’re gonna have my fist down your throat if you don’t knock your shit off.”
With humor in his eyes, Derek coughed loudly a couple more times, right as Alexis came back with a fresh glass of water.
“Here. Drink this.”
“Thanks, darlin’,” Derek took the glass from her hand.
While D sipped the water, Alexis turned back to him.
“Sorry. What did you decide? Did you see anything new that caught your eye?”
No, not new. Trevor wanted the same thing, every time he came in here. Too bad he hadn’t
