Necessary Restorations (The Walsh Series) (A) (46 page)

“Let’s get married,” I said.

Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at me, quiet and assessing. “Yeah,” she said, her smile hitting me like a blinding ray of sunshine. “We’re going to have really cool kids.”

“Of course,” I said, laughing as I slipped the ring on her finger. “They’ll be smart and the good kind of weird, talented and cute, and we should start making them right now.”

“You’re brilliant,” she said, wrapping her legs around me. “And more than a little pervy.”

“
You’re
a little pervy,” I murmured. “And I love it.”

I’ve managed to write three books and somehow this is the first time I’ve brought my gratitude to the page in the form of Acknowledgements (shameful, I know). I’ve always wanted to thank the wise and generous souls I’ve encountered along the way, but never found the right words. These words are woefully inadequate for the respect, appreciation, and love I have for so many of the people I’ve met through this journey . . . but I’ll try.

Chas and Jessica
(from
Rock Star PR and Literary Consulting
): you deserve medals, Nobel Prizes, and lots of cupcakes for putting up with me. I freak out about the most obscure, non-essential shit in the universe (curly fonts, anyone?) and obsess over the sociological implications of everything, and somehow you haven’t run screaming yet.

Julia
(from
JuliaEdits
): I don’t know how it was that the stars aligned and we found each other, but I cannot imagine writing a grocery list without you reviewing it. Your expertise and feedback make me better, and I truly value you as a friend and partner.

Sara
(from
Sara Eirew: Photographer and Designer
): You have the sexiest photographs in the universe (seriously, I want to write stories to go with your photos), and you turn them into designs that magically integrate the dreams I didn’t know I had.

I don’t know where I’d be if it weren’t for the voracious Goodreaders and reviewers.
Amanda
,
Terina
,
London
,
Coleen
,
Duchess Nicole
,
Gisele
,
Michele
,
Robin
,
Bronwyn
,
Rachel
,
Elcandy
,
Lori
,
Shelly
,
Stephanie
,
Allyson
,
Vallsykes
,
Carla
,
AJ
. . . you are the ones who convince me that these stories are worth telling when I’m tired, irritable, uninspired, or otherwise frustrated with words. Thank you for reviewing, for pimping these Walsh boys, for liking every odd clip and excerpt I post, and simply being kick-ass babes.

All the incredible bloggers who took a chance on my Walsh boys: I could not do this without you, and I wouldn’t want to. As I recently said, bloggers blow my skirt up, and if it weren’t for y’all, I’d be wandering around with the odd desire to flash people—so thank you for saving me from that fate.

Huge, sticky, messy thanks to
Surrender to Books
(Maz),
Sassy Girl Books
(Evette),
After Dark Book Lovers
(Michelle),
The Blushing Reader
(Michelle),
Saucy Books
(Sunshine),
Sizzling Pages
(Nichole),
Perusing Princesses
(Elizabeth),
Crazy for Books
(Stephanie),
Harlequin Junkie
,
The Book Bella
(Ellen),
Summer’s Book Blog
,
The Girl Meets Books
(Camille),
KT Book Reviews
(T),
Love Between the Sheets
(Natalie),
Have Books, Will Read
(Kelly),
Words of Wisdom from the Scarf Princess
(Jody),
Coffee, Books, and Life Blog
(Deanna),
Blogging Buddies Book Club
,
Under the Covers Book Blog
,
Raw Books
,
Literary Nook
,
Reading is Sexy
(Beverly),
Book Reading Gals
,
Book Hangover Page
,
FMR Book Grind
(Leeann),
Liezel’s Book Blog
,
Hello Booklover
,
Curvy Girl Romance
(Erika),
Rosarita Reader
,
Romance Novel News
(Jennifer),
Book Babes Unite
(Christy),
United Indie Book Blog
(Angie),
Indie Authors and Book Blogs
(G),
Maryse
,
Fresh Fiction
,
Cocktails and Books
, and I apologize to anyone I’ve missed.

I’m so thankful for the I didn’t realize until after my first two books were out that I desperately needed a crew of chill author chicks, and if it weren’t for
Ella Fox
, I’m not sure I would have found one that was just right. I’m so appreciative of the crazy-positive and insanely kind, generous, hilarious authors I met this in the Word Count Warriors and the COPA Cabana.

The world of indie publishing is enormous, ever-changing, and often harsh, and I’m thankful for the relationships I’ve formed with talented authors along the way.
Laura Wright
,
Molle McGregor
,
Heather Leigh
,
Noell Mosco
,
Christy Pastore
,
Rachel Brookes
,
TM Frazier
,
Crystal Aurora Rose Reynolds
,
Mary Elizabeth
,
Rochelle Paige
,
Tessa Teevan
,
Jay McLean
,
Anne Mercier
,
Elle Jefferson
,
Anne Jolin
,
K. Webster
,
Elle Christensen
,
Jeanette Escudero
,
Lianne Cotton
,
Harper Sloan
,
Tijan Meyer
,
Stylo Fantome
,
Beth Ehemann
, and
Suzanne Halliday
—thank you for being awesome.

This story touches on many sensitive medical and psychiatric conditions. I want to thank
Kerri Sparling
from
Six Until Me
for her honest discussion of type 1 diabetes. Sam’s experiences with diabetes are not meant to be representative of all patients, and they are not meant to serve as a field guide for managing diabetes.

And finally, I’d like to thank snow. Yes, snow. Specifically, the 108 inches (and counting) of snow that fell in Boston this winter. Few will side with me on this topic, but without the epic storms we saw, this book never would have been completed before summer. So thank you, snow, for making me a hermit.

Book Four in The Walsh Series

Coming Fall 2015

THE CORNERSTONE

There can only be one alpha, and Shannon Walsh doesn’t bend for
anyone.

I
hate
him.

I hate everything about him.

His sun-streaked hair and stupid tattoos.

His outrageous political opinions and meathead muscles.

His annoying fucking smirk and the way he uses his mouth to destroy me.

But what I hate the most is that he makes me crazy and desperate for him, and then he leaves me.

Now Will Halsted thinks he can show up at my door and get between my sheets again. As much as I hate him . . . I might let him.

Get exclusive sneak previews of THE CORNERSTONE through Kate’s
newsletter
and
The Walsh Groupies
on Facebook.

You can also follow her on
Twitter
(lots of random commentary about shoes, food, and the boy assistant),
Facebook
(lots of peeks at the work in progress and books she’s fangirling over),
Instagram
(lots of sexy men with babies, sexy firefighters, sexy men in suits, and the odd nature photo),
Tumblr
(lots of hot naked guys),
Goodreads
, and her
website
.

Books by
Kate Canterbary

The Walsh Series

Underneath It All
—Matt and Lauren

The Space Between
—
Patrick and Andy

Necessary Restorations
—
Sam and Tiel

The Cornerstone—
Coming Fall 2015

Book One in The Walsh Series

UNDERNEATH IT ALL

If I had known I’d have a hot architect balls deep inside of me before the end of the weekend, I’d have made time for a pedicure. Also, a little chat about not losing my shit at all the wrong moments.

Hindsight was a bitch, and karma . . . well, I didn’t know her story yet.

Meet Lauren Halsted.

It’s all the little things—the action plans, the long-kept promises—that started falling apart when my life slipped into controlled chaos.

After I fell ass-over-elbow into Matthew Walsh’s arms.

I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to run screaming or rip his pants off, and most days I wanted a little of both. If I was being honest with myself, it was rip his pants off, ride him like a workhorse, and then run screaming.

Meet Matthew Walsh.

A rebellious streak ran through Lauren Halsted. It was fierce and unrelentingly beautiful, and woven through too many good girl layers to count, and she wasn’t letting anyone tell her what to do.

Unless, of course, she was naked.

She wasn’t looking for me and I sure as shit wasn’t looking for her, but we found each other anyway and now we were locked in a battle of wills, waiting for the other to blink.

Sometimes the universe conspires to bring people together. Other times, it throws them down a flight of stairs and leaves them in a bruised and bloodied heap.

An excerpt from UNDERNEATH IT ALL:

STARING AT THE screens, I debated a handful of scenarios. I knew some of the client’s requests would have to go, or some of the restoration would; the structure couldn’t handle both. Neither made me happy, and the client would be less than understanding considering the amount of money he was paying to have it all.

“This motherfucker is going to be the death of me,” I moaned.

“I hope that’s not my project.”

Blinking at the sound of Lauren’s voice, I shot out of my chair and heard it crash into the wall behind me. If yesterday’s suit was an attempt to disguise her curves, today’s dress was an ode to them. Every step toward her increased my desire to touch her. I didn’t want her falling down stairs again, but if the opportunity presented itself, I was going to be there to catch her.

“Miss Halsted. I’m sorry, no, another project entirely.”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? You’re only required to call me Miss Halsted in my classroom.” Her tone teased, offering access to an inside joke and ignoring our narrow knowledge of each other. “Here, Lauren is fine.”

She extended her hand toward me, but I didn’t notice, instead standing there and staring at the golden hair tumbling softly around her shoulders. Before this moment, I hadn’t given women’s hair much thought. It was nice enough, but I never wanted it gliding through my fingers or tickling my chest. Not until I imagined burying my face in Lauren’s hair while I buried myself inside her.

Shit.
That spiraled out of control quickly.

“Mr. Walsh?”

Her eyebrows winged up, and I was betting she knew exactly what I was thinking. Narrating that fantasy out loud was the only way to make it more obvious.

“Matt,” I croaked. “Call me Matt. Or Matthew. Around here, Mr. Walsh is my father.”

And I’d rather you not confuse the two.

I gestured to the seats in front of the desk and tracked her hourglass shape as she sat, watching her movements, studying her hands, admiring today’s Come Fuck Me heels. The red dress accented a narrow waist rising from flared hips that called out to my hands. I saw myself bending her over the desk, hiking up her dress, and taking her right now. And I saw her liking it.

I spent a full minute on that thought before groaning inwardly. I was a dick. An unprofessional, single-minded dick and I didn’t like small, curvy girls who left their mojo all over me.

“Matthew, I really hope you have some good news for me.”

On her lips, my name was a purred commandment, and I wanted to hear it like that, the confluence of gentle and firm, again.

“I ran some scenarios,” I began, spreading site plans on the desk between us.

I expected the linear order of shapes and structures to take over and cool my nerves, but Lauren tucked her hair over her ears and smiled, and there was no unwinding the lust in my belly. I wanted to touch her and taste her, and I wanted it very soon.

“That structure is barely standing. I looked for options, but I cannot see anything salvageable in the structure.”