One and Only (Wilder Family, #1)

by Karla Sorensen

In my own defense, the decision to hire a husband wasn’t actually a bad one. It was the execution where I stumbled.

The truth was that I never should have scheduled interview possible husband candidates and last-minute design consultation for my stupid brother’s teammate on the same night.

Most days, it felt like my life could be separated into four distinct categories. Prepare for playing football. Play football. Wait for Olive. Time with Olive that goes far too fast.

“You want to …?” When my voice trailed off, he nodded slowly. “Be your fake husband. If you’ll be my fake wife.” “Holy shit,” I whispered. “Are you serious?”

“First Adaline, and now you,” he said, referencing our sister who was happily with one of his former teammates. “I am never introducing my sisters to anyone ever again,” he mumbled, walking out of the room with a scoff.

“Biggest pet peeve?” “People assuming my daughter is stupid because she doesn’t talk much. And drivers who don’t use their blinker.”

Beckett dropped his chin to his chest, and only I was close enough to hear his relieved sigh. “Thank you,” he breathed. Taking a chance, I tilted up and placed a featherlight kiss against his cheek. I didn’t look at his face as I walked toward Josie and Olive, and I didn’t look at his face as I picked up the box of samples and took a seat on the couch to show them some of my ideas. But I felt him staring at me the entire time.

“My sister,” Parker said. “I haven’t seen you show any interest in any woman since I’ve met you, and you have to go for my sister.”

“Feeling overly protective, Parker?” He huffed a laugh. “Not for you. I think Greer is going to eat you up and spit you out, and then I’m going to have to deal with your mopey ass. You’ll stop working as hard, and you won’t catch for shit, and we’ll lose all our games, all because my sister broke your heart.”

“You ever met someone who’s just … a game changer?” Parker sat back a little at the gravity of my words. “Game changer,” he repeated slowly. “Yeah.” I pushed my dirty clothes into my duffel and shook my head. “I never have before. And I don’t think it has to make sense, or fit into whatever definition of right I held prior to meeting her.” I set my hands on my hips and faced him fully. “I think that’s your sister for me, Parker. She’s a game changer in my life.” “You’re serious.” I nodded slowly. “Yeah, I am.”

“She’s fearless,” I said. “Some people are too afraid to love that way, undaunted by whatever might come next, which might look like sweetness to some. But I just see a big, brave heart.”

“I don’t know that Greer needs me to take care of her, but I do know that I need her in my life. That she makes everything just a bit easier when she’s around.” I cleared my throat. “She gives the best hugs. And her mind is the most terrifyingly incredible thing I’ve ever seen.” Greer grinned. “Is that your way of saying I scare you?” “Only a little,” I admitted.

It was slowly becoming clear to me why Greer was almost impossible to intimidate. I’d never thought of that as a trait I’d find attractive in a woman, but there was something about her, knowing that no matter who came up against her, she’d never back down easily. It made me wonder, just for a moment, what she was like in submission.

I was already nervous enough kissing the guy in front of my family when we’d hardly traded more than a sweet kiss in private. There was promise in that sweet kiss, and that was somehow even more alarming.

“This is it, cupcake,” he whispered. “You’re officially someone else’s problem now.” I laughed through my tears, and when my brothers laughed too, I knew they’d all heard him.

Maybe it wasn’t going to be legal, but as Beckett pushed a simple gold band past my knuckle, holy hell did it feel real.

Beckett tipped his head back and laughed, and I imagined how we must look. The blushing bride and the happy groom. Even I was almost convinced it was real. Almost.

“Uhh, Pastor Bill, someone out there started asking questions about performing exorcisms.”

“What the fuck,” Cameron breathed. “That’s what you told him to do?” Greer wheezed in shocked laughter. “No. I just told him to make something up to get Pastor Bill outside for like, two minutes. I told him I’d pay him a hundred bucks if he could manage it.”

I couldn’t help but stare at the woman who I’d just spoken vows to. She was beautiful—the kind of beautiful I’d probably never quite get used to. And all the energy trapped under her skin, the way she seemed to make the air around her vibrate, it was terrifying.

Not that he walked around the house shirtless, but he tended only to wear athletic shorts when he did yard work, and the house had a lot of windows, and I was only human, okay.

grinning when I found a new box of oatmeal next to his very healthy, very boring options. It hadn’t been there the day before. I pulled it out and laughed. Apples and cinnamon. On it was another note. Now you can have apple pie for breakfast.

Not my type. Not my type, I reminded myself. It was shockingly hard to remember sometimes.

This … might be a problem. Hand holding, in general, did not make me feel light-headed, heart-racing, overthinking type things.

“I know, I know, it’s not ideal. You hate change and surprises, and now you have to share your bed with your wife who you do not find even remotely attractive.” “Don’t put words into my mouth, Greer,” he cut in. “That’s not what I said.”

“What did you say then?” I asked evenly. He gave me a long, unreadable look. “Not that,” he finally answered.

Beckett brushed out her hair, and the sight of that did things to me at an almost biological level. Have you ever seen a six-five guy with huge biceps brush out his daughter’s hair to make sure it wasn’t tangled when she went to bed? It would do things to you too, no matter what your type was.

I crossed my arms and watched as he let himself in the house. His eyes landed on me and his mouth curved in an adorably crooked grin. “Wife,” he said in greeting. My eyebrows arched slowly. “Husband.”

“It wasn’t my finest moment, I know. I was just so … angry. And it really is okay if you’re upset. I overstepped.” The muscle in his jaw flexed. “I’m not mad,” he said again. His eyes were on fire. “I’m trying very hard not to kiss you right now.”

The words dropped between us, detonating with the grace of a nuclear bomb. And for once—finally—I was the one delivering the blow. It was always her—the head-whirling storm that had descended into our life, who didn’t think before she spoke or acted or pushed forward. But for once, the truth burst out of me without a single attempt to stop it. Because if I hadn’t said the words, I would’ve simply grabbed her, simply would’ve taken her face into both hands so I could stamp my mouth over hers.

“Really?” she whispered. “You want to kiss me right now?” More than that. So much more than that.

Before this exact moment, anything I’d felt for another woman was so tepid, half the force of what had me wanting to cross those last few feet between us and slide my tongue against hers, test the way our bodies would feel wrapped tight around each other. The sheer force of it was staggering—maybe because I hadn’t seen it coming.

“I told your sister the day we agreed to this crazy plan that she wasn’t my type. Not even a little bit.” It sounded a lot like Cameron choked on a drink of something. “You did not.” “She said it back to me if that makes a difference.” I flipped on my turn signal. “And I think … I think maybe she’s more my type than I thought. But we started this entire thing on the premise of lying to the people we love because it felt justified in our heads.”

“There is no escaping how beautiful you are, Greer.”

Greer turned, mouth gently hanging in shock. “Did you just … mark your territory?” she whispered, a gleeful smile curving her lips. I clenched my jaw. “No.”

Everything about our pose screamed of intimacy, an ease that took me by surprise. It didn’t feel fake. It didn’t feel like a lie.

After thirty-something days of coexisting with Greer, today was the first time she truly felt like my wife. Today was the first time I felt like I had the right to touch her. Like I was justified in how proud I was to have her by my side.

My thumb moved to the doorknob. Greer licked her lips, throat moving in a nervous swallow. I pressed down, and the decisive click of the lock echoed in the room.

I’d been wanted before. I’d experienced lust and attraction and the head-spinning ache of desire. But I’d never experienced this. Every inch of me ached.

“You’d ruin me, if this goes wrong,” I admitted. Her face went slack with shock. “And I can’t afford to be ruined right now. No matter how badly I want to try.”

The sound of Greer’s laughter preceded her, and when she walked through the door, Erik and Lydia’s daughter in her arms, I felt like someone had punctured my lung with a steel beam.

The sight of Greer holding that baby would haunt me for another sleepless night.

When he took a few steps closer, I saw the fire roaring in his gaze. “I’m here to get my wife.”

“Start something real with me, Greer Wilder. You’re the only person who I want it with.”

I say yes, are you going to kiss me?” I smiled. “Yes, ma’am.”

This was real, I thought. No matter how it started, or how I found her. It was real. And it was right.

Greer might have swept into my life like a tornado, but it was exactly the kind of destruction I needed. Because she took down everything I’d constructed before I knew she existed. Before I knew love could feel like this—wild and fierce and fearless.

“You know I’m falling in love with you, right?” she asked quietly. I smiled. “You think I’d want to get rid of you after this?” Greer grinned. “I’d like to see you try.”

“You made me coffee every morning,” I said. “You set out my favorite mug. Every day.” His smile was gentle, his eyes bright. “Yeah. I think maybe I was falling in love with you a bit earlier than I was willing to admit.”

“No. You’re in this with me. You’re my wife, Greer.” I smiled, relief sweeping through me like a tidal wave. “I will be, as soon as the courthouse opens tomorrow.” He ducked his head, eyes intent and face serious. “You’re my wife now. Whether that paper has been filed yet or not.”