So Bad (Bad Boy Next Door #1) (17 page)

We take the floor for our first dance as man and wife.
Mo fits in my arms perfectly. With my heart full and my love for her stronger
than ever, I lean in close and kiss her just below her ear.

She’s flushed and bright. “So, everyone who asks—I’ve been telling
them the
under the stars
proposal is the one I accepted.”

“Oops. I told Slade it was at the baseball game.”

She giggles. “Well, we need to get our stories straight.
There’s no way our children are going to find out how it really happened.”

I stop, pull her into my arms, and kiss her. She tastes of
strawberries and chocolate.

Applause erupts, and Slade calls out, “Hey, no one clinked
their glass with a spoon.”

I flip him the bird, tighten my hold on my girl, and slip my
tongue back into her mouth.

*

“Why do they make collars so fucking tight?” I hook a finger
in mine and pull.

Mom tightens her grip on my hand as we twirl around the
dance floor. “But you’re so handsome.”

I grin and return the squeeze to her hand. “You look pretty good
yourself.”

And she does, better than she’s looked in years it seems.

She gives me a one eyebrow quirk. “That’s what having your
dad behind bars and plenty of solid rest and rehab will do for you. I have some
really good reasons to keep it together. I think this time, it’ll stick. ”

Her gaze travels around the room, landing on Rachel and
darting back to me.

The music slows and I give Mom a hug and kiss her on the
cheek. I lean closer to her ear, so only she can hear. “Yes, and soon you’ll
have another reason.”

*

Later, I place my hand over Mo’s and we slice the cake.
Weird, all these traditions. But I told Mo whatever she wants.

She smiles up at me, eyes shining. I slide my hand around to
her belly, cupping the almost imperceptible swell there. Her body has changed
since I first touched her, but my desire for her hasn’t waned in the least.

We smile for the photographer.

I whisper, “I love you, Mrs. Jennings.”

She leans against me. “I love you, too.”

Rach stands on the sidelines, waving at us with my chubby blonde’s
tiny hand. Little Katrina’s dimples shine, and her one tooth glistens while
slobber rolls down her chin. Before long, my little green-eyed charmer will be
the big sister, not the baby.

Don’t miss

This BAD BOY may have just met his match.

COMING FALL 2015

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Dear Reader,

I hope you’ve enjoyed SO. BAD.

If you liked this book, please share it with your friends.
The best compliment you can give me is to tell someone how much you like my
work. Please consider giving a review on Amazon and/or
Goodreads
, talk with a
friend about SO. BAD. or one of my other books, or buy a copy. All of these are
the highest of praise to an author. I am forever in your debt should you choose
to do so.

Thank you again.

Best regards,

Kelley Harvey

Kelley and her husband Mike live in North Central Texas
with their two daughters. Having girls keeps them on their toes. In other
words, they’re saturated in angst and excitement. Kelley often feels as though
she lives on Teenage Drama Island and is in desperate need of a vacation to
Adult Sans Kids Resort. The upside is she stays awash in oceans of inspiration.

Kelley enjoys reading Young Adult and New Adult novels of
almost any genre. She has a thousand characters waiting in the recesses of her
mind for their stories to be told. Look for them to appear soon.

Acknowledgments

There are so many to thank, I just know I’ll forget
someone super important, so please, forgive me should I do so.

First and foremost I want to thank my good friend and fellow
author
Lana Grayson
.
You, my friend, have been my cheerleader, my coach, and my fan. I would never
have written SO BAD.if it weren’t for you. Thank you from the depths of my
heart.

Thank you, Karla Pierce, M.A., and Diana Page, sisters of my
heart, you know all you do to encourage and support me, and I appreciate every
single word, pat on the back, push in the right direction, and shoulder to cry
on when I feel like an utter life and/or author failure.

Alexandria Harvey, my sweet daughter, thank you for pushing
me to publish my first book, listening to my million and one plot ideas, and
reading and loving my words.

Thank you in particular to Terri Hanson Sullivan, my PA and
friend. You are amazing. You don’t get enough recognition, but I want you to
know how much you mean to me. I feel I’ve known you forever, and I intend to be
a permanent fixture in your life.

To my extra awesome Dream Team and beta readers, Diana Page,
Ashley Hawkins, Kristin Smith, and Terri Sullivan, for telling me where I
needed to fill in the blanks and add little tidbits to make this a truly
fulfilling read, thank you all. Without betas, writers would be lost. To my copy
editor, Valorie Clifton, thank you for your sharp eye and patience.

Much love and appreciation to my wonderful friends who have
gone way above and beyond the call of friends/fans and put forth extra effort
to helped me get the word out about SO BAD and my other works. Specifically,
but in no order, Terri Sullivan, Diana Page, Kristin Smith, Jennifer DiCenzo, Kd
Russell, Jodi Naylor, Jamie Buchanan, Joanna Helms, Penny Leidecker, Reva
Coomer, Pennie Adams, Wendi Stacilaucki-Hunsicker, Amy King, Jennifer Jura, and
Reva Tenag. Also, thank you, Nina Piatt, Alexa Ayana, Linda Berry, Thai Preyer,
Veronica Garcia, Tina Taylor, Kendra LaSalle,

Sabrina Bell, Sylve Takajian, Kim Quicks-Brooks, Aundrea
Mielke, & Beth Ann Miller. There are so many more who have shared on
Facebook, posted my banners and covers in comments, and brought their friends
along for this wonderful, wild ride, this thanks is for all of you as well.

Heaps of thanks to all my lovelies, those dedicated readers
who have become more than just fans, but also friends. There are too many to
list and I fear I would leave someone out, because we all know I have the
world’s worst memory. Just know if you are a member of
Kelley Harvey Writes
for Readers
, my reader group on Facebook, and if you’re one of the lovelies
I chat with most every day, I’m talking to you when I say, “You ROCK. You’re
amazing for all the encouragement, the pimping of my words, and the sharing of
my work. I love you, sincerely.”

Thank you, Christina BookaLuscious Badder, of
CBB Productions
, for the marketing
help and advice. I am also thankful to all the authors who helped get the word
out for me. Lana, Joanna, Cora, and Winter are among the many who stood beside
me and helped me along. Also, big thanks to all the bloggers and Facebook page
admins who posted about SO BAD, helping give it a great launch.

Thank you to all the fantastic bloggers and their members
who helped SO BAD have an awesome start. Particularly, Sierra Ferris, Thai
Preyer, & Veronica Garcia, of
Sisi’s
Book Whores
, thank you for the posts and shout outs. Thank you, All About
Books Divas, for all the wonderful posts and shares. You are all amazing.

Finally, thank you to all my readers who picked up this
book, read it, and loved Danny and Mo’s story. I write for my readers more than
anyone, so thank you. I hope someday to move you from reader to fan.

I am blessed.