Smug Bastard - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,88
business. Kinsley proposed the idea of hiring “hunky” men, her words, not mine, as my construction crew. Of course, I first went for experience, but in Los Angeles, there were more good-looking guys with excellent resumes than I thought. I hired women too. I was certainly not sexist or discriminatory, but I had no doubt the Hollywood-wife type liked a bunch of hot guys building her lavish she-shed.
My business was flourishing so fast I could barely keep up.
When I told Kinsley I was serious about starting my own company, she hesitantly showed me a business plan she had come up with in one of her marketing classes. She was embarrassed because it was completely for me, but she came up with it when we weren’t together. Of course, it made me want her more because of the business plan, loving the idea she was thinking about me even when she thought the worst of me and didn’t think she’d ever see me again.
Two years together and we still couldn’t get enough, having sex every opportunity we got, sometimes so loud Chance would chuck a soccer ball at our window. Though they were as bad, I felt sorry for our other neighbors. They probably wished they had obnoxious college kids who threw loud parties instead.
After San Francisco, I let Kinsley decide where she wanted to go next. I would make whatever or wherever work. We went up to Seattle for a month, but the rain ended up getting to her. We traveled around for a bit and ended up back in Hermosa Beach. The moment she stepped inside my house, Goat leaped up on the sofa like he had done it all his life, she grinned at me. “We’re home.”
Meeting Chance, Aubrey, their baby, and Mutton solidified it for her. Aubrey and Kinsley had become fast friends, and oddly both “goats” loved playing together.
Kinsley ended up getting a job at a new boutique PR firm in Santa Monica. It was small but had a good list of clients, now including SB Construction. She loved it, which was all I cared about.
We had been working so much that we planned a two-week vacation, taking the RV on a reunion tour with Goat, visiting some of the places we did the first time and discovering new ones. Our destination was New Orleans, staying a few days before heading back. Kay was mad we weren’t coming up to visit, but I wanted this trip to be just about Kinsley and me.
Kay and Liam were completely happy for us. It took Kyle only a moment to accept his friend being with his younger sister, but Kasey still wasn’t my biggest fan. She was getting better, at least pretending she was happy that Kins and I were together.
After this trip, she would have no choice but to accept me, since I would hopefully become officially part of their family.
The ring was tucked away in my bag. I had no plan, though I liked the idea of proposing in New Orleans where we got together, but who knew? Maybe between jumping out of a plane in Colorado or skinny-dipping somewhere in the Rio Grande.
That was what I loved about us—we took things as they came, pushed and challenged each other, never staying in the lines.
“You owe me.” Kinsley’s voice brought me back to the present, her hands sliding into my boxers, her thumb rolling over my tip, forcing a grunt from my throat. Wrapping my hands in her hair, I yanked on the strands, bringing her mouth to mine.
“I lost my checkbook.” I nipped her lip, my fingers working her shorts. “Any other way I can compensate?” My fingers slid through her folds, both of us hissing. “Shit, Nettles… already so fucking wet.”
“Smith. Noooowww.” She tore at my jeans as I tossed her up on my desk, yanking off her shorts and tank, spreading her legs. We never seemed to get enough, always so desperate for each other; it would take us two or three times in a row to calm down. There were countless times we barely got in the door. Actually, several times we didn’t—on our lawn, against the shed in the middle of the day. Another time we had soccer balls volleyed at us from over the fence.
Kinsley and I were the story that was never supposed to happen, a sequence of events that shouldn’t have been, chances that could have turned a different way with a simple choice.
But as I sank into her body, with the feel of her around me and my need to be deep inside her, I saw our paths were destined for each other.
The nerdy baby sister who could see right through the smug bastard.
And owned his soul.
Make sure you sign up for the official Cocky Hero Club newsletter for all the latest on our upcoming books:
https://www.subscribepage.com/CockyHeroClub
Check out other books in the Cocky Hero Club series:
About the Author
Stacey Marie Brown is a lover of hot fictional bad boys and sarcastic heroines who kick butt. She also enjoys books, travel, TV shows, hiking, writing, design, and archery. Stacey swears she is part gypsy, being lucky enough to live and travel all over the world.
She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family’s farm, raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts.
When she’s not writing she’s out hiking, spending time with friends, and traveling. She also volunteers helping animals and is eco-friendly. She feels all animals, people, and the environment should be treated kindly.
To learn more about Stacey or her books, visit her at:
Author website & Newsletter: www.staceymariebrown.com
Facebook Author page: www.facebook.com/SMBauthorpage
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/s.mariebrown
Twitter: @S_MarieBrown
Instagram: www.instagram.com/staceymariebrown/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/S_MarieBrown
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938728.Stacey_Marie_Brown
Her Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/1648368945376239/
Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/stacey-marie-brown
Acknowledgements
A huge Thank You to:
Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland for allowing me to be part of this Cocky World!
Mo and Hollie for always making my work readable!
Steamy Designs for making a gorgeous cover!
All the readers who have supported me through PNR and Contemporary Romance: My gratitude is for all you do and how much you help indie authors out of the pure love of reading.
All the indie/hybrid authors out there who inspire, challenge, support, and push me to be better: I love you!
And anyone who has picked up an indie book and given an unknown author a chance. THANK YOU!