Her Backup Boyfriend (Entangled Bliss) (Sorensen Family) (21 page)

“Fortunately for you, I’d already reached the same conclusion. That you and I—we’re inevitable.”

For the first time this evening, he looked nervous. “Michael decided to stay with Nicole?”

“I couldn’t tell you. When I told him I didn’t love him earlier tonight, I didn’t bother to ask him what his plans were.”

His face relaxed, and his grinned again. “Really? I’m sorry I missed it.”

“Me, too. Dominic, I owe you an explanation and an apology.” She took in a breath. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking recently. About my priorities. And how freaking screwed up they were. What the flying fig do I care about the opinions of people who don’t respect me for reasons beyond my control?” She turned and glanced around the room. “I can’t control their opinion of me, and frankly, I don’t care anymore. Because I realize what’s more important is the people I surround myself with. The people who accept me for who I am, who are warm and loving. People like you.”

This time she reached her hand and held that strong chin in her palm, let her finger rub the smooth surface where he must have recently shaved.

“Growing up, I was so alone. I missed so many things, not having the love and support of a family—at least, not until my grams came into the picture. She loved me unconditionally. Kind of like your family does, I imagine, no matter what brainless thing you might do.” She smiled and felt more tears light her eyes. “And that’s what I want. This past week at work, I finally achieved everything I worked for—the job, the promotion, the house, and all the other materialistic things. Everything I
thought
I wanted. Before.”

His brows raised at this little correction. “Before?”

“Yep.” She nodded, feeling so deliriously happy at finally being free from her previous fears. “Before I met you. Because even when I finally achieved all those things, I still wasn’t happy. I felt hollow. Like something was missing. And I realized what it was. You. The someone who I had fallen in love with and who accepted me for myself. Who never make me feel like less of a person for what I didn’t have. If anything, you made me feel more loved and accepted than anyone. Oh, and I quit. I quit my job and told Tim just where he could take that promotion.”

This time he threw back his head and rocked out a hearty laugh. “You don’t do anything in half measures, do you?” He sobered then. “But what are you going to do now? What about your plan?”

“I’m making a new plan. Starting with you, and then I’ll work everything else around you. Around us. But no worries, I’m not exactly jumping without a parachute. I’m taking a position at my friend Jess’s firm. Less pay but more flexibility. I’m ready to find myself again. Find what makes me happy.”

The band started to play the familiar opening to Van Morrison’s “Crazy Love.”

“Stuff like that begs me to take you back to your place right now and show you just how much I love you. But then I’d miss this opportunity.” He stood and with panache, he swept his hand out. “Care to dance?”

She looked over to the floor where, up to now, only Payton and Brad had been dancing. The thought of getting out there, making the public declaration of her love, sounded devilishly exciting.

She saw Payton watching them now, and by the huge smile on her face, Kate would bet she’d figured everything had worked out, as she had promised. Payton lifted her hand and waved them toward the floor in invitation.

How could she resist?

She placed her hand in his and stood. Without waiting a beat, Dominic put his hand around her waist, and he swept her out to the dance floor. “Let’s go show them how it’s done.”

She nodded and smiled, not trusting herself not to tear up.

The lyrics of the song filled her head. Crazy love was right.

Lord, how she loved him. And she couldn’t wait for her life to begin.

Epilogue

“I warned you,” Dominic said and laughed when Kate shot him a look that told him his warning was not appreciated before she resumed her search for her bra.

It was Christmas morning. After a late night at his parents’ house for Christmas Eve dinner, a later night where they attended midnight Mass, and an even later night of debauchery, Kate had intended on sleeping in until noon, waking up only to show the man in her life how much she loved and adored him before they headed to brunch at Glenda’s at one.

But from the sound of voices in the foyer below, her plans were going to be altered.

She spied the strap of her black lacy bra under the bed and reached down to grab it. But Dominic’s hand stopped her.

“There is a lock on the door, you know. I installed it myself,” he breathed in her ear. “Should I…”

“Don’t even think about it, buddy,” she said even though for the tiniest moment she considered the possibility. “Besides, from the sounds of it, your whole family is downstairs, and they’re expecting us.”

“Believe me, if you know my mother, she’d be up here giving us pointers if she thought it could gain her a new grandbaby in the coming year.” He moved her hair from her neck and placed a kiss, sending goose bumps along her arms. Dominic was making it nearly impossible for her to remember why she needed clothes.

The sound of silverware clattering downstairs told her they had made it to her kitchen, at least, and were unlikely to be sneaking up the stairs. He bent his head then and sucked on the vulnerable spot below her right ear he knew all too well.

This was sick. This was depraved. Heavens, what would they think about her if they knew what they were up here contemplating this very minute? As if he knew her resolve was weakening, he placed another kiss at the base of her neck.

She had a decision to make. She could push him away and go down and greet his family in record time so they wouldn’t think they’d been up here doing…this. Or she could turn around and wrap her arms around him and let him wish her a proper good morning.

Lord, she was a weak woman.

Twenty minutes later, she and Dominic headed down the stairs, hastily dressed in jeans and T-shirts and with a soft glow around them. She knew her face was flushed and bright from their little…escapade, but felt it flush a few shades deeper when she saw Dominic’s dad and brother, Cruz, sitting on her couch. Both men gave her a look that told her they knew exactly what they’d been doing. The elder Sorensen winked at her.

Paul and his sisters were playing cards on her dining room table that someone had carried in and set up under the morning light of the front windows. The little Christmas tree she and Dominic had bought two days ago was already lit and, if she wasn’t mistaken, had a few more packages poking from underneath than she remembered seeing last night.

Dominic’s mom came in from the kitchen with a tray Kate didn’t recognize and holding a pitcher of what looked like Bloody Marys. It was hard not smile in the face of all this love and acceptance.

“
Feliz Navidad
!
Merry Christmas! You’ll have to forgive me,” the beaming woman said as Benny and Daisy followed on her heels with more trays filled with plates and silverware and a casserole dish that smelled like butter and cinnamon and brown sugar. Heavenly. “But we thought it would be a wonderful new tradition if we held the family breakfast here, with you both.”

“I tried to convince her we should call first,” Benny said, grinning, “but she wouldn’t hear of it. It had to be surprise. Surprise!” she finished, and by the look she gave them, Kate had no doubt that, other than the kids and Dominic’s mother, everyone else was on to them.

“No problem,” Kate said. She looked around the large room, bright and cheery and filled with everyone she’d grown to care so much about.

Dominic’s arms wrapped around her as he pulled her close. “No regrets?”

Kate touched her fingers to the ring that Dominic had placed on her hand last night and smiled up at him. “No regrets. They are family, after all.”

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Acknowledgments

I can’t begin to express my gratitude and appreciation to my editor, Alycia Tornetta, for believing in this story and offering her amazing insight to making this the best it could be—and then some. Saying you’re awesome just isn’t enough.

Also a big thanks to all the people behind the scenes at Entangled, from book publicity to cover design, who’ve been there to provide support at every step in the process.

And finally, to my family for all the dinners of cereal and frozen waffles you’ve consumed during Mom’s crunch time. And to many, many more. Love you guys.

About the Author

Ashlee
was thirteen when she sneaked her first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss book hidden away in her mom’s closet. After two days of staying home “sick” from school to finish it, she was hooked. Her rabid love for romance has continued ever since, and after a misadventure in the world of law, she is finally settling into her dream job of writing about people finding their happily ever afters—the only stories worth reading, after all.

Ashlee lives in the greater Salt Lake Valley in Utah with her sweetie, two fabulous kids, and a dog and cat that vie equally for her attention. Sometimes by sitting on her computer when she’s trying to work. And although surrounded by picturesque mountains and beautiful landscapes, she’s practically allergic to direct sunlight, the outdoors, and anything that involves communing with nature. Give her a book, an abundance of coffee, and a shady (enclosed) spot with a view and she’s happy.

Whether writing contemporary romances or romances with mystery and suspense, Ashlee aims to create down-to-earth heroines and heroes that will make you laugh and fall in love all over again.

You can find her on the web at 
www.AshleeMallory.com
 or lurking on Twitter (@ashleemallory) and
Facebook
. Drop her a line! She’d love to hear from you.

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