Forbidden King: A Small Town, Brother’s Best Friend Romance (Magnolia Falls Series Book 3)

IT HAD BEEN one month since Saylor had moved in with me, and I’d never been happier. We’d moved her stuff over here a few weeks before her lease was up, and Ruby had officially moved in with River, because once you find your forever, you just want to start living it.

My brother had tied the knot shortly after Romeo and Demi’s wedding, just as they’d told us they were going to do. They’d snuck off to Las Vegas, just the two of them, and were married by an Elvis Presley lookalike. And today, we were throwing them a reception at our place.

Lionel had insisted on having the party catered and providing the food and drinks. He hadn’t pushed when they’d told him they were eloping as long as they’d agreed to let him throw a big party for them. Ruby was his only child, and he wanted to invite everyone in town to celebrate.

Saylor, Demi, and Peyton had been working on getting this ready for the last two weeks.

“Are you ready, baby?” I called down the hallway, just as Saylor came walking out of our bedroom. Long blonde hair falling all around her shoulders. Turquoise blue eyes that always brought a peace over me that I couldn’t explain. My gaze traveled down her body, taking in the lavender dress that fell off her shoulders and hugged her sweet body as it ran down to the floor.

“I’m ready.” She smiled. “I like you in all black. You’ve got that bad-boy cowboy thing going on.” I was wearing black jeans and a black button-up shirt that she’d purchased for me.

That’s how we rolled now. My girl loved to take care of me, and I loved to take care of her.

“And I love you in this dress.”

“Let’s go take a look out back. Katie just texted me and asked us to come outside so she can take a few practice shots and test out the lighting.” Katie worked for Saylor at the bookstore and was also a photographer on the side.

I reached for her hand and led her outside. The DJ was already playing some Frank Sinatra, which my brother was a big fan of. Lionel was bossing around his bartenders, and Katie waved us over.

“Sit on this large rock, Saylor. And, King, you can kind of hover over her and let me take a few shots. I think this spot in the yard has the best lighting.”

Saylor sat on the rock, and my hand moved to the side of her neck. “Hovering over you is my favorite thing to do, Dandelion.”

My nose rubbed against hers, and she smiled up at me.

“Damn. You two are so freaking hot. I think this photo right here belongs on a book cover.” Katie walked over and showed us the photo.

“Oh, yeah? What would our book be called?” I teased.

Saylor didn’t even have to think about it. “Forbidden King, of course.”

Katie chuckled, and I pulled Saylor to her feet, just as everyone started arriving.

We both were pulled in different directions, but every once in a while, my eyes would find hers. It was just our thing.

Lionel had hired a few guys to come cook ribs and corn on the cob, and we’d rented tables that were spread across the yard, overlooking the water. We’d had too much food, plenty of drinks, and we’d danced our asses off.

“Happy for you, brother,” I said, holding up my beer bottle to River, as all the guys and I settled around the firepit.

“Thanks for this. You went all out.”

“Lionel did all the hard work,” I said. “Grammie seems to be having a great time, huh?” I nodded to where the girls were chatting, and Grammie was right in there with them, wheelchair and all.

“Yeah. Thanks for getting her here,” I said, turning my attention to Nash. He’d picked her up and would take her home, as well.

“Happy to do it. Cutler talked her ear off the whole car ride over,” Nash said over his laughter.

“We’ve got the championship game in a few days,” Romeo said.

“Yeah, he’s looking forward to it. I can’t believe how far he’s come this year. The breathing thing still worries me, as he’s had a few attacks, but they’ve been fairly mild. So I’m hoping this is as bad as it gets.”

“You’re doing all you can to stay on top of it,” Hayes said. “And he’s aware of it, because when I took him to the park last week, he kept making sure I had the inhaler in my pocket.”

“I fucking hate that he has to even think about that shit.” Nash shook his head. “But tonight’s a celebration. Let’s focus on that. Happy for you, River.”

“Thanks, brother. Never thought I’d be sitting here, celebrating my marriage, but I’m here to say that it’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“Cheers to that,” Romeo said, clinking his beer bottle to River’s.

“I’m guessing King will be next,” Nash said, looking between me and Hayes as he laughed.

“Seeing what a sappy fucker he’s turned into, I’d be fine with it.” Hayes shrugged.

“Appreciate that, brother.” I held up my bottle in cheers, and he did the same.

“You never know. Hayes could surprise us all and be next. It happens that quickly,” Romeo said.

“Hells to the no. Although it would help my career because that dickweed Lenny Davis is having his wife, Kimber, host a Fourth of July firehouse party now. He’s doing all of this to show Cap that he’d be the best fit for the job once he retires. It’s such bullshit.”

“I hate that fucker. But he definitely knows how to play the game.” River shook his head in disgust.

“Hey, maybe we can rent you a wife,” I said over my laughter.

“I’d consider that long before I’d ever consider marriage again.” He took a long pull from his beer. He’d been blindsided by his ex-fiancée and her betrayal, and I didn’t know if he’d ever trust anyone again. “And maybe Nash will surprise us all and find a woman to help him raise Cutler.”

“I have all of you, ladies,” Nash said over his laughter. “I did things kind of backward, you know? Had the kid without having the solid relationship, so I just don’t think it’s in the cards for me. I got Cutler out of the deal, so I’m not complaining. But damn, you fuckers are lucky to have a woman to keep your bed warm every night.”

“I can send you over a heating pad, if that would help.” River barked out a laugh, and Nash flipped him the bird.

“I’ve got my hands full with Cutler. I don’t need to complicate that. And look how attached he is to your better halves. I couldn’t bring a woman into his life if I wasn’t sure that it was the real deal. I need to focus on my boy. End of story.”

“You know, I’m reading a single-dad romance right now,” I said, and they all gaped at me. “What? It’s a hot trope. They even call the single dads ‘daddy’ in the book. And if he’s a businessman, they’ll call him ‘business daddy’, or there’s ‘alpha daddy’. I think Nash would be ‘contractor daddy’. It’s a real thing, boys.”

“If you ever call me ‘contractor daddy’, I will literally shave off both your eyebrows and draw a vagina on your forehead with permanent marker.” Nash raised a brow.

Laughter bellowed around us, and I loved every damn second of it.

This is what life was about: spending time with the people you loved. But it also didn’t mean I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave so I could be alone with my girl.

As if they’d read my mind, everyone started pushing to their feet and saying their goodbyes. I scooped Cutler up and spun him around in my arms.

“Are you going to ride with us tomorrow, Uncle King?” he asked me. That boy loved horses, and the girls all rode with him on the weekends.

“Yeah. Wouldn’t miss it, Beefcake.”

He fist-pumped the sky after I set him on his feet.

The caterers had cleaned everything up, and Lionel had just finished packing up all the booze and breaking down the bar.

When River and Ruby left, I pushed the door closed, and Saylor smiled at me. It was this knowing look she always had on her face, which I fucking loved.

“What are you thinking, Dandelion?”

“Great party, but I’m happy it’s just you and me again.”

“Me, too. Thanks for making that so special for them.” I tugged her close and tipped her head up to look at me.

“Of course. I loved doing it.”

“Yeah? You look pretty tired. You want to go to bed?”

She shook her head, and her teeth sank into that juicy bottom lip of hers. “I’ve got something else in mind.”

“Tell me. Your wish is my command,” I said, as she took my hand and led me to the kitchen.

“Really? Anything I want? I don’t see a fluffball around to wish on.”

I pressed my hand to my heart. “It’s right here, baby. You tell me what you want, and I’ll make it happen.”

“Oh, I see. You’re my own personal fluffball?”

She paused in front of the kitchen island, and I wrapped my hands around her waist and lifted her to sit on the island. I moved close and smirked. “I’d prefer something more masculine. Like, Captain Wishmaker or Sexy Alpha Wishmaker.”

Her head fell back in laughter. “Got it.”

“So, tell me, Saylor,” I said, my voice all tease. “What can I do for you?”

“Well, Sexy Alpha Captain of all wishes… I was thinking we share a piece of cake and a glass of wine in the bathtub. And then we can see where things go from there.”

“Cake, wine, and your naked body. Is this your wish or mine?” I pushed up and kissed her hard before moving back and walking toward the refrigerator. I pulled the cake out and placed an unusually large slice onto a paper plate before pouring a large glass of wine for us to share. “Stay right here.”

I took the cake and the wine into our bathroom and set it on the edge of the tub before turning on the water and pouring in the bubbles that Saylor loved.

I made my way back to where she was leaning back on her elbows, eyes closed. She’d worked her ass off for this party, and I knew she was exhausted. I tugged her dress up before scooping her up, her legs coming around my waist and her arms coming around my neck.

“Come on, baby. Let’s go eat cake in the tub.”

“Said the sexiest man on the planet,” she purred. “Thanks for doing this.”

I set her feet on the floor and turned her around and unzipped her dress. It fell into a heap on the floor, and then I turned her back around and dropped to my knees, pulling her lacy panties down her thighs so she was standing there completely bare. She tied her hair into a messy knot on top of her head as I pushed to my feet.

I had zero patience, and I fumbled with the buttons on my dress shirt before just ripping it apart. She stood there laughing as the buttons bounced off the tile floor. I pushed my jeans and briefs down my legs and walked her to the tub. Once I slipped into the hot water, I held my hand out for her to join me. When I’d built this house, I didn’t give two shits about the tub, but I’d found a deal on an oversized Jacuzzi at the time, and I’d decided it would be good for the value of the home.

Fuck that.

It was one of the best decisions I’d ever made. We’d spent a lot of time in this tub together. My girl was a horse-riding, romance-reading mermaid, and she loved to end our days right here.

She sat facing me, one leg on each side, her ass settled on my thighs. I reached for the cake and forked off a bite for her and fed it to her. She closed her eyes and groaned as she chewed. I gave myself a bite, but I wasn’t groaning because of the cake. I was groaning because her sweet pussy was rubbing up against my erection.

She reached for the wine, holding it to my lips first as I took a sip, and she did the same.

We talked about the party, and we laughed and ate some more cake and drank some more wine until the water started to cool off.

“Do you want me to top it off with more hot water?” I asked, because sometimes we did that.

She shook her head, a wicked grin spread across her beautiful face. “Nope.”

“No?”

“I want to get out of the tub and ride my cowboy for a while.”

That was all I needed to hear. I moved her back enough so I could climb out quickly, and I grabbed a towel, wrapping it around my waist, before helping her out of the tub and drying her off.

She was laughing as I scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom.

I dropped her onto the bed and opened her towel, taking her in.

“How did I get so fucking lucky?” I traced her bottom lip with the pad of my thumb.

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Yeah? Any more wishes you can think of?”

She shook her head. “Nope. They already came true.”

And she was right.

There wasn’t a single thing I wanted.

Because everything I wanted, everything I needed—it was right here.

I leaned down and claimed her mouth.

Just like I planned to do every day for the rest of my life.