Then You Happened by Sandi Lynn
She laughed.
“That’s better.” I winked. “Now go and enjoy your wedding reception. We have lots and lots of alcohol.”
As they walked away, I felt strong arms wrapped around my waist and a kiss on my cheek.
“This is beautiful, Sierra. I had no doubt that you’d pull this off, but this is beyond amazing. I think I may keep you around.”
“Thank you, Mr. Cole. I was thinking that when we get back home to L.A., we could go furniture shopping for the living room.”
“It’s not remodeled yet.”
“I know, but I like you, and I want furnish the room with things we pick out together. It’ll be our special room.” I smiled.
“I like that idea. What if we can’t agree?”
I grabbed hold of his hand and pulled him along. “If we can’t agree, then we’ll do it my way.”
“Somehow, I knew you were going to say that.” He laughed.
Night had fallen, dinner had been served, alcohol was being consumed, and everyone was having a wonderful time. While Cameron was talking to some friends, Luanne walked up beside me.
“I want to thank you for doing this for my son and daughter in-law. It was very kind of you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Listen, Sierra, I’m sorry for the things I said. I want you to know that I’m very happy that Cameron has finally found someone he loves. I will admit that I’m not happy that my son is moving so far away. It was hard enough when he was there working, but I knew he would come home. Now, he’s moving there permanently and it’s not like this place is a hop, skip, and a jump away. He’s my first and oldest child and it’s hard.”
I felt bad for her because it had to take a lot of courage on her part to tell me these things. I took her hand and squeezed it.
“I know it’s hard, but we’ll visit. In fact, we’ll visit so much you’ll get sick of us and want us to leave, plus you’ll come visit us in California. I think you’ll like it there. I would like to take you shopping on Rodeo Drive.”
“I think that would be quite an experience.” She smiled. “Excuse me, Sierra. Jaden is calling for me.”
The corners of my mouth turned up as I took a sip of my tequila.
“Did I just see you and my mom holding hands?” Cameron asked.
“Yes. She apologized. I accepted. I told her we’d visit and that she needs to come to California. All is good.”
The DJ called all couples out onto the dance floor for a romantic dance. Cameron placed his hand on my waist and placed his other in mine.
“We can dance right here under these beautiful lights.” He smiled.
I stared into his beautiful green eyes. The same green eyes that caught my attention and piqued my interest a few months ago, and the same green eyes that agreed to a sex-only relationship. As we slowly moved to the music, a thought came into my mind.
“When we get back to L.A., let’s just tell Delia that I hired you for the year.”
“Really, Sierra? I think, sooner or later, she’d figure it out. We need to come clean about who I really am.” He smiled.
“But that’s no fun,” I whined. He kissed the tip of my nose and told me to shush.
Cameron Cole walked into my life and turned my world upside down. Tomorrow morning, we would get on a plane back home and he’d move all his things into my house. My house would become our house and we’d start our life together as a couple of thirty-year-olds who finally figured out life.
My name is Sierra Adams, CEO of Adams Advertising and Design. This was my story about being a single woman who wanted a sex-only relationship and how one man changed all that. The end result:
Then We Happened
(The Happened Series, Book 2)
The Upside of Love
Chapter 1
Lily
“Have I told you how much I love you, Luke Matthews?” I asked as I ran my hand across his chest.
“You have, babe, and I don’t ever want you to stop telling me.”
I lifted my head from his chest and kissed his lips – the lips that devoured every inch of my skin last night from head to toe. The lips that made me warm when I was cold, and the lips that gave me the security I desperately needed.
It had been two months since Sam’s and Gretchen’s accident. Gretchen’s leg was healing nicely and Sam waited on her hand and foot, practically never leaving her side. Luke pretty much moved into my apartment, since Sam moved Gretchen into his. Lucky was staying with Giselle at her place because his apartment building had a flood and it was being renovated. Their relationship was still weird. Even though Giselle was pregnant with Lucky’s kid, it didn’t stop the two of them from seeing other people. It was awkward when one of them would bring the other out with us.
“I guess I should get up and head over to the bar,” Luke sighed.
I tightened my arm around him because I didn’t want to move. “No,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Luke laughed.
“I think we should stay in bed all day and do nothing but have wild sex.” I smiled as my hand traveled down to his hard cock.
“You sure know how to turn me on, babe,” he said as he rolled me over and hovered over me. “I have to go to the bar. You have to edit those photos for Mrs. Braxton, and we have a lunch date with Charley today.” He smiled as he took down my panties.
“You’re right. But, promise me we’ll schedule a day when we can just stay in bed all day and not worry about the outside world.”
“You got it.” He smiled as he plunged his finger inside me. “Now, give me your lips and shush. I’m going to make sweet love to you.”
After a sweet round of lovemaking, Luke took a shower and I made a pot of coffee. As I waited for it to finish brewing, I stared out my window at the perfectly blue sky and the sun that was shining brightly into my living room. Settling in Santa Monica was the best decision I ever made. Lost in my thoughts, I felt strong arms wrap around me. I tilted my head back and looked up at Luke’s smiling face.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Just admiring the beauty of the day.”
He was wearing only jeans and his hair was still soaking wet. He was the sexiest man alive, as far as I was concerned, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of him.
“Well, I’m admiring the beauty in front of me.” He tilted his head and softly kissed my neck.
I giggled. “You sure have a way with words, Mr. Matthews.”
“And you have a way with those lips.” He smiled as he kissed me again.
Luke walked to the coffee pot, poured a cup of coffee, and sat down at the table.
“Do you want me to make you breakfast?” I asked.
“Nah, I’m good, babe. I’ll grab something at the bar.”
There was a knock at the door and Sam’s boisterous voice came through loud and clear. “Dude, are you up? Are you decent?”
Luke sighed as he got up from his chair and opened the door.
“Morning, Sam. Morning, Gretchen.”
I smiled as my best friends walked into the apartment. I immediately grabbed two cups and poured coffee in them.
“Sit down,” I said to Gretchen and I lightly took hold of her arm and led her to the table.
“Thanks, Lily.” She smiled.
“Have you talked to Giselle?” I asked.
“Yeah. She said that she and Lucky were going furniture shopping for the baby’s room.”
“For both places?” Luke asked.
“I’m not sure. She didn’t say and I know his apartment still isn’t ready. To be honest, I think she likes having him around.”
“They’re weird.” I laughed.
Luke got up from the table. “Okay, friends. It’s been fun seeing you, but I have to finish getting dressed and head over to the bar. Maddie and I have some liquor orders to go over.”
“We playing tonight?” Sam asked.
“Yeah. I already talked to Lucky and he said that he and Giselle will b
“Get over it, Matthews.” I winked.
Luke headed to the bedroom to get ready, and Sam and Gretchen got up to leave. “I can’t wait to get this cast off today. So, when you see me tonight, I’ll be strutting in.”
I laughed as I hugged her.
“I can’t wait to finally make love to her without that cast getting in the way.” Sam smiled.
“Just keep it down,” Luke yelled from the bedroom.
“Paybacks, bro. Paybacks.” He laughed.
****
Since I couldn’t get another teaching job right away, I decided to make photography my full-time work. I mostly just worked out of my apartment, but I wanted to rent a small space and turn it into a studio. It was something that I’d thought about over the past couple of months and Luke was extremely supportive. He told me that I needed to follow my dreams and just go for it like he did with the bar. I did a photo shoot with Rory Braxton and her twin girls. It was a surprise gift for her husband’s birthday. I photographed them at the beach and then Rory wanted some sexy pictures for Ian. I brought her back to the apartment once I set it up with the backdrop. I had never photographed sexy pictures like the ones I did for her and I was nervous at first. But after seeing the photographs, I knew she’d be more than pleased. I met Rory through Giselle. Rory’s husband’s best friend, Adalynn, owned Prim magazine, for which Giselle did a lot of modeling. When she overheard Rory and Adalynn talking about finding a female photographer, she instantly thought of me. Since the pictures that Rory wanted for Ian were of her practically naked and very seductive, she thought it would be best to have a female photograph her, so as not to upset her husband.
As I was sitting at my computer, editing the photos, Luke walked up and gave me a kiss.
“Bye, babe. Have fun today and I’ll see you later at the bar for lunch with Charley.”
“Bye, baby.” I smiled.
I looked at the photos of Ashley and Ariel Braxton and smiled as I envisioned a family like Rory’s and Ian’s one day. I picked up my phone from the desk and called Rory.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Hi, Rory. It’s Lily. Your pictures will be ready by tonight, so I was hoping we could meet for lunch tomorrow and I can show you the final shots.”
“Excellent, Lily. Tomorrow will be perfect. If you’re in the mood for Mexican food, we can meet at the Border Grill, say around noon?”
“Sounds great, Rory. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
As I was editing the photos, one popped up of Luke. I smiled as I ran my fingers across his perfect six pack on the screen. It was one of him lying on the bed in only a pair of unbuttoned jeans. His arm was behind his head and he was looking out the window. I was the luckiest girl alive to be loved by him and my life was perfect. More perfect than I had ever dreamed it would be.
About The Author
Sandi Lynn is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who spends all of her days writing. She published her first novel, Forever Black, in February 2013. Her addictions are shopping, romance novels, coffee, chocolate, margaritas, and giving readers an escape to another world.
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Playlist
She’s So Mean ~ Matchbox Twenty
Through Glass ~ Stone Sour
Country Girl (Shake It For Me) ~ Luke Bryan
Endlessly ~ The Cab
Miss Independent ~ Ne-Yo
Wish You Were Here ~ Avril Lavigne
Boom Clap ~ Charli XCX
All About That Bass ~ Meghan Trainor
Before It’s Too Late ~ The Goo Goo Dolls
Turn Down For What ~ DJ Snake, Lil Jon
She’s So High ~ Tal Bachman
The Queen and I ~ Gym Class Heroes
Life Of The Party ~ Shawn Mendes
Sandi Lynn, Then You Happened