Lucky (Bad Boys of Ever After Book 1) Read online

  LUCKY

  Bad Boys of Ever After

  Laurie Roma

  BAD BOYS OF EVER AFTER

  LUCKY

  LUCKY

  When Griffin Doyle left the Marines to return home after his father’s death, he never expected life to be easy. Then, one tiny piece of paper changed everything. Winning the lottery was a dream come true, but he still has his share of problems, like…

  …trying to stop his brothers and friends from acting like bodyguards 24/7? Check.

  …keeping guys away from his baby sister? Double check.

  …random people wanting things? Hell, you get the idea.

  His life might seem like a fairy tale, but one look at his sweet, sexy new neighbor is all it takes to realize he’s been missing what matters most. Vivienne Bisset is the woman of his dreams, though she isn’t as sure that they’re right for each other. Now, he just has to convince her that taking a chance on a tattooed bad boy with a good heart is exactly what they both need to get lucky in love.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  LUCKY

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  EPILOGUE

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  LUCKY

  Cover Design by Black Butterfly Designs

  Copyright © 2020 by Laurie Roma

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission, except for the case of brief quotations in reviews and articles. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI, and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. It is fiction, so facts and events may not be accurate except to the current world the book takes place in.

  DEDICATION

  To everyone who loves a bad boy with a good heart.

  CHAPTER ONE

  “You can’t just shove it in like that! It’s too big.”

  “Well, whose fault is that? Give me a second. I’ve almost got it.”

  “Damn it, Elle. No, you don’t,” a male grumbled. “You’re too impatient.”

  “Maybe we should use the smaller paddle—”

  “Will you shut up and let me do my thing!”

  “Fine. Since you claim to be such an expert, I’ll just lay here and let you do all the work.”

  Vivienne Bisset froze in place on the back deck of her small rental house. She had no desire to eavesdrop on such an intimate conversation, but the raised voices drifting to her from the large house next door were impossible to ignore.

  Loud shrieks of laughter drowned out the soothing melody of the classical music playing on her phone, signaling it was time for her to head inside. She hadn’t met her neighbors yet, and she certainly didn’t want to hear them doing…whatever it was they were doing.

  A few minutes ago, she had been lost in her own world. Her favorite sonata had been her only companion while she painted the spectacular view in front of her. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. The little gray pit bull she had recently adopted had also been keeping her company, though he wasn’t much of a conversationalist.

  Instead, his favorite hobbies consisted of chasing his own tail and draping himself over her feet to nap while she painted. Since the rescue center had warned her that the puppy might have some abandonment issues, she didn’t mind his odd little quirks. It was simply his way of making sure she didn’t go anywhere without him, so she didn’t mind a little doggie drool on her toes to give him some peace of mind.

  It was a beautiful spring day, and even though it was warm outside, she wore a thick painter’s smock. It protected her clothes, and the canopy gave the puppy a little shade to nap under since he refused to stay in the air conditioning without her. The apron also acted as a shield to make sure she didn’t drop any paint on the little guy.

  They’d learned that particular lesson the hard way.

  Vivienne hadn’t intended to adopt a dog. She hadn’t planned on renting a house either, but her new companion made it a logical choice. The stunning views in Ever After and the surrounding area were enough to make sticking around worthwhile. There was also the added benefit of allowing herself and her new pet adequate bonding time before they moved onto their next location.

  After leaving New York, she had promised herself time to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life. She hadn’t particularly cared for the one she’d left behind, and she was looking for a fresh start somewhere new. Though she had been born into privilege, she’d never really had much control over her own life. Hers might have been a gilded cage, yet it had still been a prison of sorts.

  Freedom had come at the cost of her pride, but it had been well worth it. When she had left Manhattan to travel the country, stopping to paint where and when it suited her, it had been the first step toward claiming her independence.

  And she had loved every second of her adventure so far.

  She’d been on the road for almost three months, but she usually didn’t spend more than a few days in each location before moving on. However, she had enjoyed some places like New Orleans, Miami, and D.C. enough to stay for a few weeks. She’d actually considered renting a place in New Orleans, but she had reminded herself that she could return to her favorite places whenever she wanted. The luxury of having the choice to do so thrilled her.

  After she’d left Louisiana, she had visited a few more places before she’d found herself in Ever After, a charming town on the Texas coast. The scenery was amazing, and the boardwalk along the shore of the downtown area was enjoyed by both locals and tourists alike.

  Everyone she met was welcoming in a way that made her a little suspicious. Even if she did appreciate how friendly they were, she wasn’t used to complete strangers stopping her on the street and asking her personal questions. It was even stranger when those people shared their own life stories with her.

  People belonged in Ever After. They were a real community, and that was a foreign concept to her. Besides having a few good friends, she was more accustomed to dealing with the backstabbing manipulations of the social elite of New York. Most of the people in her own network of acquaintances had been enemies in disguise.

  At least, that was what she’d discovered after her divorce.

  The small bungalow she was renting was located on a quiet street near the water. Instead of a sandy beach, there were three tiers of stone walls and grass between the house and the bay. Besides the other small house off to one side of the bungalow, the rest of the homes in the area were large, elaborate mansions.

  It should have made her uncomfortable living in a house that clearly looked out of place, but she was pleased to discover that it didn’t bother her at all. She had spent too much time worrying about what other people thought in the past. She wanted to believe she was done with all of that, but old habits were hard to break. She was looking forward to a fresh start in a new place where anything was possible.

  Surprisingly, she enjoyed what she’d seen of small-town life, and there were several interesting places close by that she wanted to paint. The spectacular view from the bungalow alone could keep her busy for weeks. Ever After was an ideal place to settle down for a few months, or so she had thought.

  That had been b
efore she knew her neighbors were so…vocal.

  She turned off her music, then slid her phone into her back pocket. Thankfully, a short stone wall and a row of tall trees blocked her view of the property next door. Not wanting to call attention to herself, she quietly cleaned her brushes in the jar of solvent and slowly began to pack up the rest of her things.

  She’d made several sketches of the sun sparkling on the water and the high cliff wall off in the distance that protected a portion of the bay, but looking at the real thing was always the best inspiration. It was a shame she had to stop working while the light was still good, but she didn’t want to risk staying outside.

  “Ah, looks like you started without me. Let me just get out of these dress clothes, and I’ll join the party.”

  That wasn’t the same man who had spoken earlier.

  The new voice was deeper, and hearing it made Vivienne shiver in alarm. Good god, it was the middle of the afternoon. Could they seriously be doing what she thought they were doing? And just how many men were showing up for the party?

  Never mind, she really didn’t want to know. They could continue their little orgy in peace…after she went inside and locked the doors.

  Wanting to escape, she shot to her feet. Unfortunately, she woke her little furry friend in the process. Jarvis let out a barrage of yips and barks as he ran around in confused circles. Trying to calm him, she whispered as she reached for him. Before she could grab hold of him, he took off down the back steps. Barefoot, she frantically gave chase, but by the time she reached the last step, he had already raced around the side of the house.

  She hadn’t bothered blocking off the stairs to keep him on the raised deck since he rarely left her side, but she quickly realized that had been a mistake. When he stopped barking, panic surged through her. All of the horrible things that could happen to her little puppy flashed through her head. What if he tripped into something and hurt himself? Or maybe he had made it to the street and gotten hit by a car.

  Cursing her vivid imagination, she rounded the corner and almost ran right into a brick wall. At least, that was what she thought it was at first. Stumbling back a few steps, she blinked to clear her vision. When she glanced up, she found herself staring at an incredibly handsome man.

  A man who was thankfully wearing clothes.

  The sleeves of the white dress shirt he wore had been folded back, leaving his strong forearms bare. The shirt was unbuttoned, showing a white tank underneath that was molded to his muscular body. There was no doubt of that by the way the thin fabric was stretched taut across the contours of his well-defined abs. All of his clothes fit well, but his gray pants had to be custom made in order to fit thighs that were as thick as tree trunks.

  There was a few days’ worth of stubble on his jaw, and his short, dark hair was tousled and free of any products. The man’s commanding presence reminded her of the CEOs or other powerful men she’d met, but he also had a raw masculinity that made her instantly wary. With the way his bright blue eyes were locked on her, she felt like a small animal being watched by a lethal predator.

  Forcing herself to look away, she glanced down to meet the happy eyes of her puppy. The man was holding Jarvis against his large chest, and the puppy looked even smaller held securely with one massive arm. That in itself was unusual since the little guy tended to be scared of men, but he didn’t seem to mind the stranger holding him.

  Instead, his tail wagged like a mad thing.

  When the man stroked a large hand over the wiggling puppy’s head, Jarvis took it as an invitation to shower him with love. Oddly, she felt a little betrayed by her dog’s sudden show of affection. Still, she was relieved the man didn’t get mad as Jarvis began enthusiastically licking his chin.

  “Hello. I’m Vivienne Bisset. I just moved in. I mean, I’m renting this house for the next few months. Thank you for catching my dog. He’s never run off like that before. I’ll get a gate to keep him on the back patio from now on.” When the man didn’t speak, she felt compelled to fill the silence. Actually, what she really wanted to do was snatch Jarvis away from the mute man and run away from his intense scrutiny, but she forced herself to stay put. “Well, I guess I should—”

  “Eat.”

  She blinked. “Excuse me?”

  He shook his head as if trying to clear it, then he smiled. God, she wished he hadn’t done that. While he had been good looking before, his smile made him sinfully sexy.

  “Griffin Doyle. I heard I had a new neighbor. I’ve been out of town for the last few weeks, or I would have come by sooner to introduce myself. What I meant to say was you should come over and eat. My brother and sister just tossed a pizza into the brick oven on my back deck. We’ve also got a brisket smoking, and we’re going to grill up some burgers. Come over and meet everyone.”

  “That’s a lot of food. Thank you for the offer, but I…” She tried to figure out a graceful way to decline the invitation, then her eyes widened. “Did you say pizza?”

  “You like pizza?”

  “I do, it’s just…” Thank goodness, she thought, laughing with relief. Now, the things she’d heard earlier made perfect sense. Embarrassed by her overactive imagination, she could feel her cheeks flush with heat. There was curiosity in Griffin’s gaze at her strange reaction, but she wasn’t about to tell him what she’d been thinking.

  “I appreciate the invitation.” Tearing her gaze away from his again, she glanced down at herself. “But I’ve been painting, and I should probably—”

  “You’re painting the house?”

  “No, I’m an artist. I was painting on a canvas out on the patio—”

  “Can I see what you’re working on, or do you get annoyed when people ask?”

  No one besides her best friends had ever wanted to see what she was working on before, and she was nervous about his reaction. Still, the fact that he had even asked made her want to show it to him. “You can see it, but it isn’t finished yet, so—”

  “Great!” Someone turned on country music next door, so Griffin raised his voice when he said, “You said you were working on the back deck, right?”

  He strode away from her, leaving her feeling flustered as she hurried after him. He had a bad habit of cutting her off, but it didn’t seem condescending or mean-spirited. It didn’t feel the same as when she had been talked over or ignored in the past. Perhaps he didn’t realize it was rude, though that was difficult to believe. Nevertheless, he seemed so cheerful and enthusiastic that it almost felt petty to take offense.

  Griffin carried Jarvis up the stairs to her little work area. She noticed he was wearing an old pair of flip-flops on his large feet, which was a strange contrast to his nice clothing. He did say he had just returned home. The fact that he had chosen comfort over fashion made him a little less intimidating, though not by much.

  He still made her extremely nervous simply by breathing.

  When he moved to stand in front of her painting, she shifted the chair she had been using out of the way, placing it under the overhang next to the small dog bed Jarvis refused to use. The silence made her tension grow. To distract herself, she took off her smock and draped it over the back of the chair.

  Glancing down at her light blue shirt and khaki linen pants, she was glad she wasn’t wearing the rags she usually wore when she worked indoors. Despite the sunscreen she had liberally slathered on her pale skin, her arms look a shade or two darker than they had been a few hours ago. She could use a tan, but she made a mental note to wear her wide-brimmed hat to protect her face from the sun the next time she worked outside.

  She ran her fingers through her long, blonde hair, then silently cursed when she awkwardly pulled half of her hair out of the rubber band holding it secure. She removed the hair tie, wishing she had a mirror nearby. With her luck, she probably had paint streaks on her cheeks. She nervously twisted a few strands of hair around her finger, then gripped her hands together to stop herself from fidgeting.

  Unable to stand
it any longer, she walked over to stand next to him. When she glanced down at the puppy, she saw that he was sleeping peacefully again. “I should take Jarvis inside. He’s obviously tired from doing nothing all day.”

  “Jarvis, huh? That’s a mighty name for a little guy.” Ignoring her suggestion, Griffin said, “I want it.”

  Alarmed, she glanced down at her dog again.

  He let out a low chuckle. “He’s cute, but I meant the painting. I want it.”

  “Wh-what?” She couldn’t possibly have heard him right.

  “I’d like to buy the painting when you’re finished with it. The view is why I built my house here. I’d say this is like a photo, but that wouldn’t do it justice. The way the sun is shining on the water makes it look like everything is glowing. It’s like you captured the perfect day. It’s fucking amazing.”

  Hearing him say that gave her a little jolt. Being an artist was important to her. It was a profession she was proud to claim, but it was impossible not to doubt her skill when she’d never really shown anyone her work. Hearing a complete stranger acknowledge her talent made her eyes fill with tears.

  “That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” She laughed a little. “Not the swearing part, but everything else.”

  He grinned. “It really is exceptional. So, you going to sell it to me or what?”

  Straightening her shoulders, she nodded. “Yes, I am. For five dollars.” When he lost his smile, she hurried to explain. “I would give it to you, but this would be the first painting I’ve ever sold. So, five dollars would make it a fair sale.”

  “I can’t believe you haven’t sold your paintings before. And no, five dollars is not a fair price. It’s ridiculous.” He frowned at her, shaking his head when she tried to argue. “We’ll negotiate later. Now, I’m starving. Are you hungry? Let’s go to my house.”

  “Oh, but—”

  “Do you need help moving your stuff inside?”