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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHEETAH

I lift my head from between Kamryn’s legs just before her orgasm is about to crest. With a face full of her juices, I ask, “Will you marry me?”

She groans out, “Ahhh. I hate you. Finish the job, dickhead.”

I chuckle as she pushes my head down and get back to business.

What turned into a three-month contract with Francisco Lane Jewelry ended two weeks ago, but I keep asking her to marry me every single day. At least now I can do it in private. I try to find the most inopportune or random times just to drive her crazy.

The originally planned first month of our constant fake proposals was so outrageously successful that Francisco Lane Jewelry ended up paying Kam and me a small fortune to continue the charade. I’m not sure I would have wanted to accept their proposal, but it was huge money for Kam, and I didn’t want her to miss out on the opportunity. Unfortunately, softball players make a lot less money than baseball players.

The Cougars lost in the National League Championship Series. We were one win away from making it back to the World Series, but our bullpen buckled under the pressure. Not Quincy. He had two wins in the series and might very well win his first Cy Young Award this year, awarded to the best pitcher in each of the two leagues. It was our relief pitchers who let us down.

The silver lining was that I got to watch all of Kamryn’s championship series games. The Anacondas swept the best-of-five series, winning in only three games. Kamryn hit seven home runs in that stretch and was awarded the championship’s Most Valuable Player. I rewarded her by marching out onto the field and dropping to my knee for our final public proposal. By that point, the crowds simply laughed when I did it and then cheered her on as she rejected me in glorious fashion. They often encouraged her to reject me.

Somehow the whole marketing ploy not only helped the jeweler and Kam’s momentarily damaged reputation, but it also helped the Anacondas and Kam from a marketing perspective. The Anacondas are getting more attention than ever. Kam is now the poster child for girl power. Daily rejections of a professional baseball player apparently make you a bit of a cult hero. Modeling and endorsement offers are pouring in for her. She’s going to have a very busy off-season this year.

After she orgasms, I slide up her body and immediately enter her. I grab a pillow and shove it under her hips. The angle makes my tip hit directly into her G-spot. It drives her wild.

My mouth captures hers in a searing kiss as our tongues tangle with need. I grab her feet, spread her wide open, and run my fingers through her toes as I pound into her .

She breaks the kiss. “What in the fresh fuck is this move?”

I smile into her mouth. “It feels good, doesn’t it? It’s intimate.”

“I swear to god, you have more tools in your tool bag than any man on this planet.”

“Por eso tu cono me pertenece.” That is why your pussy belongs to me.

Her eyes roll to the back of her head, her back arches, and she yells out, “Ahh, here I go again.”

Once we both come, I fall back onto the bed. She moans out, “Fuck, that was good.”

I nod in agreement. “It was. It always is.” And I love coming inside her. I’m slightly obsessed with knowing she’s full of my come. I’ve never considered myself to be an overly possessive man, but I suppose that’s because there’s never been anyone I wanted to possess until now. “I can’t get enough of you.”

She turns her head until our eyes meet. “I’ll miss you tonight.” That’s her way of telling me she can’t get enough of me either. I’ve learned to speak Kamrynese.

Our relationship isn’t perfect, but we’re navigating these unchartered waters together. I’m trying to better communicate my needs, and she’s trying to give a little when she can. She indulges me in one Indian dinner a month. I know she hates it, but it makes me love her all the more for trying. And we’ve watched all the Star Wars movies. All twelve of them.

Tomorrow is Arizona and Layton’s wedding. The girls are all staying in a hotel suite together tonight, meaning we won’t sleep together, something we now do almost every night.

I’ve been thinking that I want to ask Kamryn to officially move in with me. I haven’t broached the topic yet. Given the three straight months of public rejection I’ve endured, I’m a little trigger-shy on asking, but I’m going to do it at the wedding. I’m hoping she’ll be a little swept up in the emotions of the day.

I’ve gradually made space for her in my bathroom and closet, but she hasn’t noticed yet. But since Kam misses nothing, she’s probably just ignoring it, which doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in me.

It’s also a touchy situation because of her sister. She’s not going to want to leave her, but Kam is almost thirty. It’s time for them to learn to live apart. She might disagree, but I’ll make strong arguments and hope for the best. Despite a few bumps here and there, we’ve been pretty good at the whole boyfriend and girlfriend thing for the past three months.

I run my hand up her leg. “I’ll miss you too. I could go on a panty raid and sneak into your hotel room in the middle of the night.”

She shakes her head. “Absolutely not. Tonight and tomorrow are all about Arizona. I don’t want to steal any thunder.”

“I suppose you’re right. We’re taking Layton out tonight, but he said to keep it tame.”

She rolls her eyes. “He’s such a wet blanket.”

I nod. “Totally.”

Just then her phone rings. She rolls over to look at it. “It’s Tanner.”

“Answer it on FaceTime. I’m sure he’d love to see us Full Monty.”

She smiles as she accepts the call and switches it to video before moving the phone so that both of our naked bodies are visible on the screen.

His face appears, and then he immediately turns away and groans in malcontent. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Cover up, you two.”

We laugh as we slide under the blankets, and Kam says, “ You’ve been fucking my sister for most of the last year, except that time period where you shredded her heart into a million pieces like a ruthless piece of shit. We have the same body. I don’t turn you on just a little bit?”

Tanner, who is in a business suit and sitting in his office, scrunches his face in disgust. “Not one drop. Not so much as a stirring happening for me right now. You two look nothing alike from my perspective. She’s made of sugar and spice, and you’re the bacteria that sits on the surface of an undisturbed pond.”

I’m about to get angry and tear into him, but Kam lets out a laugh. “Holy shit. That was bizarrely descriptive. I feel like you’ve considered this before.”

He deadpans. “All the fucking time. I can’t believe I’m being saddled with managing your modeling career.”

She shrugs. “You didn’t have to say yes.”

He looks at me and raises one of his dark eyebrows. “Cruz begged me.”

I nod. “That’s true. I did.” He was occasionally helping Kam with endorsements over the past year, but when things exploded for her three months ago, she needed real representation. I told him he was the only person I trusted.

Despite the fact that Bailey and Tanner have been sleeping together once or twice a week for months as pure fuck buddies, things between Tanner and Kamryn remain ice-cold. Her outgoing personality annoys him, and his perceived treatment of her sister makes him public enemy number one to her, but they have an aligned interest in her career. She needs him to negotiate her contracts, and even though he doesn’t care for her, she’s bringing him a nice agent fee, though I think he’s doing it because I asked and because Bailey wants him to represent Kam.

Tanner looks down and starts flipping through papers. “Between you, Arizona, and Sulley, I’m drowning in all this shit. I really need to find someone to head up my women’s division.”

My chin drops. “You still haven’t found anyone?” I know he’s been interviewing women for at least six months.

He sighs as he looks at me. “No. I’m steadfast on it being a woman. I just haven’t found the right one. I won’t hire the wrong one just to fill a spot. The job is too important for that.” Looking back down, he says, “Kamryn, I’ve been reviewing your new offer from Hubba Bubba.” Kam always chews grape Hubba Bubba gum on the field, and she did a small campaign for them last year. They now want her as their top spokesperson. “They want to photograph you at a vineyard.”

She nods. “Okay. That sounds fun. What’s the big deal?”

“The grape season in Napa Valley is basically over. You need to get out to California right away, as in next week, before all the grapes are gone.”

She shrugs. “That’s fine. Make sure you put in language to protect me in case of emergency. I want a termination clause completely at my discretion. You never know what could happen. You fucked over Arizona when you didn’t put that in her contract last year, and she got stuck on a two-month shoot she didn’t want to go to. You’re a shitty agent.”

He narrows his eyes at her. “I didn’t negotiate that contract for her, Miss Know It All. In fact, I heavily advised her to get counsel because of that clause, and she didn’t listen to me. And why do you know that term? Are you a fucking lawyer now?”

She doesn’t even flinch at the fact that he inadvertently hit the nail on the head. “No, but I’m smarter than you.” She mumbles, “It doesn’t take much.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “God help me. You’re a nightmare.” He grits out. “I will tighten up the wording in that paragraph. Anything else, princess? ”

“Since you’re asking, I’d love it if you were to break up with my sister. We can try to avoid you shattering her heart again, which we both know is inevitable.”

“I’m not discussing my private relationship with Bailey with you. Ever. Period. End of discussion.”

“Whatever, Daddy Tanner. You know my sister and I have no secrets. I know you like to tie her up and spank her with a paddle, you weird fucker.”

I burst out laughing. “You’re into BDSM, Tanner? I didn’t know you were such a kinky bastard.”

He blows out a breath. “I despise both of you. Goodbye.”

He ends the call, and I look at Kam. “Does he really do all that?”

She nods. “He sure does. She loves it. And she calls him Daddy.”

I pull the blankets down and roughly flip her over. Placing my palm on her ass, I ask, “Want me to spank you, bad girl? I’ll be your daddy.”

She wiggles her sexy backside. “I’d rather you fuck that ass instead of spanking it.”

I jump on top of her on my knees so that my legs are spread over the backs of her thighs. With my fake lasso swinging in the air, I yell out, “Yeehaw! Saddle up, cowgirl. I’m about to ride this ass.”

KAMRYN

“Kam, stop farting.”

I kick Bailey while we’re under the covers of the king-sized bed of the hotel room. “You know what milk chocolate does to me. ”

“Take a Lactaid pill like a normal person.”

“I’m not lactose intolerant.” I probably am, but I refuse to acknowledge it. It makes me feel like an eighty-year-old woman.

She pats her stomach. “We both know who has the stronger constitution. I could eat jalapeno peppers all night and be totally fine.”

“Truth. I wish you could eat Indian food with Cheetah every month. It fucking kills my insides, but I have to muscle through it. You got Beverly’s iron-clad stomach. Literally the only thing you got from her was her only positive trait. I got all her shit traits.”

Bailey sighs in frustration. “Fake news. Not true. You’re nothing like her. Stop saying that.”

“Whatever. I spoke with your boyfriend this morning.”

“He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my fuck buddy, remember?”

I roll my eyes. “If that’s what you’re telling yourself. Anyhow, he’s finalizing my new deal with Hubba Bubba. I have a photo shoot out in Napa Valley next week. Come with me. We’ll tour vineyards and drink wine. Maybe we can invite Daddy to join us. He’s never been. I’ll take care of everything.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t. I have Harper.”

I scrunch my face. “Ugh. I hate your job. I have to be there for a week. I’m still mentally recovering from the last time we spent a week apart.”

She takes my hand in hers. “It’s time for us to learn how to spend time apart. We’re going to be thirty in a few months. We’re not kids anymore. We need to grow up.”

As if on cue, Arizona and Ripley come running into our bedroom of the suite in pigtails, giggling uncontrollably. Ripley jokes, “Don’t you think Arizona should wear her hair like this for the wedding tomorrow?”

I nod. “Absolutely. Guys love that look. Are you sure you want to go through with this wedding? Statistically speaking, one hundred percent of all divorces start with a wedding.”

Bailey kicks me under the covers while Arizona giggles. “That ship has sailed. We’re already married, and I’m already pregnant.” We found out earlier in the season that Arizona was pregnant. She and Layton are so excited about it.

Bailey twists her lips. “I wonder if this is technically a shotgun wedding.”

I shake my head. “It’s not. They’re legally married. This is just an excuse to party.”

I look at Arizona. “Didn’t you say you were turning in? That you need your beauty sleep? We said goodnight fifteen minutes ago.”

She shrugs as they both crawl into bed with us. “I’m too excited. Let’s cuddle and watch a movie. When will the four of us be able to do that again?”

“Okay, but you know I like busty blonde women, and none are hotter than you.” I grab her leg. “I can’t be held responsible for my roaming hands.”

Arizona laughs, but Bailey slaps my hand. “Leave her alone.”

I mock gasp. “Don’t be a twat swat.”

She pinches her eyebrows together. “What’s that? Is it like a cockblock, but the girl version?”

I nod. “It is.”

The three of them start giggling. Ripley asks, “What are other terms for it?”

“Hmm. Clam jam.”

Now they’re all hysterically laughing, and that’s kind of how the last night of just the four of us together goes. It’s a sisterhood that will never be broken.

This must be the first wedding I’ve ever been to where I’m not running doomsday scenarios through my head the whole time. I believe to my core that Arizona and Layton are the real deal. They’re madly in love. It might also potentially have to do with my current status.

I’m a little loved up by Cruz Gonzales these days. Things have been going well for us since the disastrous proposal night. It’s not all smooth sailing, but mostly great. Sometimes I’m a complete asshole and treat him terribly, but I’m learning to recognize when I’m being selfish and attempt to apologize.

He’s endured a lot over the past few months. He’s basically been publicly humiliated nearly every day. He does so willingly and happily, all for my benefit. Where does one go from Cruz Gonzales? I’ve never been happier than I am right now. I’m at the height of my career, and an amazing person loves me wholeheartedly. I fear it’s the calm before the storm.

Arizona is full of excitement, not nerves, as she prepares to walk down the aisle. Ripley serves as the maid of honor, while Bailey, Gemma, and I all serve as bridesmaids. We’re in long, strapless royal-blue gowns. They’re well-fitted and have a long slit up one leg. I know Cheetah will see it as easy access and will have his hand up it all night. I can’t wait. I missed him last night. I’ve gotten used to sleeping with him.

I know the day is coming soon when he mentions us moving in together. He’s been slowly clearing space in his bathroom and closet for me. Being super mature, I’m pretending not to notice.

The music starts playing, and everyone is paired off. I’m excited to see Cheetah in a tuxedo. He’s going to look hot as fuck.

He finally comes into view. My mouth starts watering. He looks even better than I imagined. As soon as he sees me, his dimples come out, and he fans his face, mouthing, “You're so hot.”

It’s about to be our turn to walk down the aisle together, and he offers me his arm. He leans over and whispers, “Is that slit for easy access?”

I inwardly laugh. Do I know my man or what?

I respond, “It is.” I nod toward his bowtie. “I want you to do me only wearing that later. ”

“Deal.”

We start walking down the aisle. He again whispers, “Will you marry me? I still have the original ring from Christmas. It’s in my pocket.” He wiggles his eyebrows up and down.

I simply roll my eyes at him, like I do every other day. He gets off on finding the most ridiculous moments to propose to me.

The ceremony and reception go off without a hitch. Arizona and Layton’s love practically radiates from everywhere. It’s kind of inspiring and has me all up in my feels.

Cheetah and I have been dancing up a storm, busting out all our Ms. Rylee moves. He’s so much fun to be with.

I notice Tanner dancing with my sister. That’s odd. I’ve never once seen him publicly touch her or acknowledge their fucked-up relationship.

The night is about to come to a close. Most people have left. I see Bailey leaving with Tanner. She told me earlier in the evening that she’s going to end things with him once and for all but wanted one more night with him. We’ll see if that actually happens. I hope it does. She needs to move on from a man who will never give her what she deserves.

Cheetah and I decide to have one more drink before leaving. We’re sitting there laughing, and before we realize it, the entire place is empty except for the band. He motions toward them, and they start playing a slow Latin song.

Cheetah smiles as he stands and offers me his hand. “May I have the last dance, beautiful?”

I happily nod as I stand and take his hand. He gets into position, and we do one of our routines from Ms. Rylee’s sessions. He’s so romantic.

When it comes to an end, he gives me an uncharacteristically serious look. “Kam, I love you so much.” He gets down on one knee and pulls out a ring box.

I’m about to turn him down as usual when it hits me that I’m not sure I want to. Why do I keep saying no? I love him. I want to be with him. I have no interest in anyone else. Isn’t that what marriage is?

As he slowly opens the box, he says, “I want to go to sleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning—”

I don’t know what comes over me, but I blurt out, “Yes.”

The box opens fully, and I see a key. He grins widely. “Yes? You’ll move in with me?

Move in with him? That’s what he’s asking?

I’m speechless, deep in my head, considering the fact that I was just about to agree to marry him when I feel a blinding pain in my lower back and stomach. So bad that I fall to my knees and yell out, “Ahh.”

He reaches for me. “Kam, baby, what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

These are phantom pains. I’ve had them before when Bailey has gotten injured, but never this painful. I grit out, “Bailey. Something has happened to her.”

He exhales an annoyed breath. “If you don’t want to move in with me, fine, but why the hell did you say yes?”

“Cruz, get me my fucking phone. My purse is at the table. Something is wrong. I can feel it.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, he stands, walks to our table, grabs my purse, and brings it to me.

I’m still feeling shooting pains down my back as I pull my phone out and dial Bailey’s cell phone.

Tanner answers, “Hello, Kamryn,” but he sounds off. His voice is shaky. Tanner oozes confidence and sophistication, but that’s not what I’m getting from him right now. And I think I hear a siren and several other voices.

I blurt out, “Something happened to my sister. I can feel it. Is she with you?”

He takes a few breaths like it’s hard for him to breathe. With a voice that sounds like he’s on the verge of tears, he says, “Yes. We’ve been in a car accident. She’s conscious but hurt. She…she ca n’t feel her legs. We’re in the ambulance. Meet us at Philly Hospital. She doesn’t want you to tell Arizona.”

Tears start streaming down my cheeks. My heart feels like it’s beating a million times per minute. My hands begin shaking. “I swear to god, Montgomery, if this is as bad as it sounds, I will kill you with my bare hands.”

Cheetah grabs my phone from my hand. He undoubtedly heard both sides of the conversation. He rubs my arm. “Calm down. Let’s just get to the hospital.”

My voice cracks, “I…I can’t lose her. I can’t live without her.”

He visibly swallows. “She’ll be okay. I know she will. Let’s just get to the hospital.”

I wordlessly nod. I think I’m officially in shock.

He speaks into the phone. “Sorry, man. She’s hysterical. Just worried about her sister. We’re on our way. Text me a room number when you get one.”

Cheetah ends the call, and suddenly I feel like my world is ending.

I knew a storm was coming, but I didn’t realize just how dark these clouds were going to be.