Hooker(112)

‘I am now,’ he groans, rolling onto his side to face me. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘I can’t sleep. Can I give you one of your presents now? I don’t want to give it to you in front of the others.’

Opening one eye, he studies me for a few seconds. ‘I sincerely hope you wouldn’t give me one of your magnificent blowjobs in front of our family.’

I can’t help but laugh as I playfully slap his arm. ‘It’s not a blowjob.’ Rolling over, I turn on the bedside lamp before reaching into the drawer to retrieve the long thin box. ‘Open it,’ I say, passing it to him.

Sighing, he squints as he sits up. Unwrapping the ribbon, he removes the lid. I’m pretty sure he’s going to like what’s inside, but the butterflies churn in my stomach nevertheless.

‘What the—’ His wide eyes meet mine.

‘It’s a—’

‘I know what it is,’ he says. ‘One of those stick things—a pregnancy test.’ Of course he knows. We’ve been trying to fall pregnant for months now. He’s sat with me on the side of the bed numerous times waiting and hoping. This time I did it without him. I hated to see the look of disappointment on his face every time we got a negative result.

‘Have a look at the lines.’

I see a smile form on his lips. ‘You’re pregnant.’

‘Yes. We’re going to be parents.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes. I got confirmation this afternoon from the doctor.’

Tossing the stick aside, he pulls me into his arms. ‘I’m going to be a father,’ he whispers.

‘Merry Christmas, Brock.’

‘Merry Christmas, sweetheart.’

‘I love you so much,’ he says as he lays me back into the mattress and covers my body with his. I see tears glisten his eyes.

‘I love you more.’

‘Not possible, sweetheart,’ he says before his lips meet mine.



It’s funny how one person can change everything. Change you. How one fleeting moment in time has the ability to redirect your path in life. To give your future meaning and hope. How something as simple as love can heal even the most damaged heart.

That’s exactly what one man has done for me. My saviour. My knight in shining armour—Brock Weston. He may not have ridden in on his beautiful white stallion like I hoped, but that’s insignificant. He came, he conquered, and he did everything I dreamt he would.

He saved me.

He gave me a taste of how good life could be when we first met in New York, but even that doesn’t compare to how rich my life is now. As hard as things were for me growing up, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat if I knew I’d end up exactly where I am today. I take back everything I said at the beginning of my story. I’m not cursed at all. I’m lucky, I’m blessed, I’m wanted, and I’m loved.

Love is like water,

you can fill up on it,

you can drown in it,

but most importantly,

you cannot live without it.





Also by Australia’s favourite new romance writer, J.L. Perry





My name is Jaxson Albright. To my friends I’m known as Jax. I’m the disgraced son of well-known politician Malcom Albright. You could say I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I was supposed to follow in my father’s footsteps and move into politics. My whole childhood was spent being groomed for this role, but that wasn’t what I wanted. I had other plans.

To my family’s disgust, I’m inked, I’m pierced and I own and run a tattoo parlour in Newtown, in Sydney. I fit in here. I can be the man I was destined to be, the man my family are ashamed of. The son they regret having.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for my saviour, Candice. My pink-haired angel. We grew up in the same circle, but like me, she’s an outcast. She refused to conform to society’s ways. She’s the only one who stuck by me and not only encouraged, but supported my dream.

I love her. No, correction—I’m in love with her. I have been for as long as I can remember. She has no idea how I feel. It’s a battle I struggle with daily. I’ve kept my secret all these years because I couldn’t risk losing her. That’s a chance I’m not prepared to take, because she’s my best friend; my only real family.

I’ve spent the last few years pounding random hot chicks, trying to mask these feeling I have. But it doesn’t help—I can’t get her out of my head. She still owns my heart.

How do you get over the girl you know you can never have? And how do you live without the one person on this earth who was made for you?

She’s my soulmate.