Always the one for me, p.1
Always the One for Me, page 1
Always the One for Me
A Wilder Brothers Novel
Carrie Ann Ryan
Contents
ALWAYS THE ONE FOR ME
ALWAYS THE ONE FOR ME
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
BEFORE AND AFTER
A Note from Carrie Ann Ryan
Also from Carrie Ann Ryan
About the Author
ALWAYS THE ONE FOR ME
A WILDER BROTHERS NOVEL
* * *
By
Carrie Ann Ryan
Always the One for Me
A Wilder Brothers Love
By: Carrie Ann Ryan
© 2022 Carrie Ann Ryan
eBook 978-1-950443-81-9
Paperback 978-1-950443-82-6
* * *
Cover Art by Sweet N Spicy Designs
* * *
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person or use proper retail channels to lend a copy. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.
Praise for Carrie Ann Ryan
“Count on Carrie Ann Ryan for emotional, sexy, character driven stories that capture your heart!” – Carly Phillips, NY Times bestselling author
“Carrie Ann Ryan’s romances are my newest addiction! The emotion in her books captures me from the very beginning. The hope and healing hold me close until the end. These love stories will simply sweep you away.” ~ NYT Bestselling Author Deveny Perry
"Carrie Ann Ryan writes the perfect balance of sweet and heat ensuring every story feeds the soul." - Audrey Carlan, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author
“Carrie Ann Ryan never fails to draw readers in with passion, raw sensuality, and characters that pop off the page. Any book by Carrie Ann is an absolute treat.” – New York Times Bestselling Author J. Kenner
“Carrie Ann Ryan knows how to pull your heartstrings and make your pulse pound! Her wonderful Redwood Pack series will draw you in and keep you reading long into the night. I can’t wait to see what comes next with the new generation, the Talons. Keep them coming, Carrie Ann!” –Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author of CRAVE THE NIGHT
"With snarky humor, sizzling love scenes, and brilliant, imaginative worldbuilding, The Dante's Circle series reads as if Carrie Ann Ryan peeked at my personal wish list!" – NYT Bestselling Author, Larissa Ione
"Carrie Ann Ryan writes sexy shifters in a world full of passionate happily-ever-afters." – New York Times Bestselling Author Vivian Arend
“Carrie Ann’s books are sexy with characters you can’t help but love from page one. They are heat and heart blended to perfection.” New York Times Bestselling Author Jayne Rylon
Carrie Ann Ryan's books are wickedly funny and deliciously hot, with plenty of twists to keep you guessing. They'll keep you up all night!” USA Today Bestselling Author Cari Quinn
"Once again, Carrie Ann Ryan knocks the Dante's Circle series out of the park. The queen of hot, sexy, enthralling paranormal romance, Carrie Ann is an author not to miss!" New York Times bestselling Author Marie Harte
ALWAYS THE ONE FOR ME
The Wilder Brothers from NYT Bestselling Author Carrie Ann Ryan continue in this emotionally charged enemies to lovers romance.
It took two days for me to know Kendall was the one for me.
And it took two years for me to realize I had to leave in order to protect her.
When I walked away, I told myself it was for the best. But now we work together, and every time we’re in the same room, we end up fighting. If we didn’t, we’d end up naked. Or worse–spilling heartbreaking secrets.
If she knew the truth, she’d either walk away for good or convince me to take a second chance. The first thing would break me, and the second would break her. I can’t let either of those things happen…
Chapter One
Evan
* * *
~Ten Years Earlier
* * *
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Keegan announced as he bounced his knee so quickly that it jostled my seat.
I looked over at him while we sat in the airport gate area and studied his face. He might look anxious, but his bright brown eyes were full of excitement and anticipation. He’d shaved his head the day before, the stubble only just now showing up, and still looked a bit dangerous. That was Keegan for you. “I can’t believe you somehow convinced all of us to fly to Vegas for your wedding.”
Keegan beamed. “You’ve always wanted to go to Vegas. And now we’re finally old enough that we can go inside the casinos and actually spend money.”
I thought about my meager staff sergeant salary, since an E-5 didn’t really make as much money as I would’ve liked. “There’s going to be no gambling unless we go to the penny slots.”
“Hey, the nickel slots are right there,” Ward, our other addition to this party, said from Keegan’s side.
I rolled my eyes, my lips lifting at the corners. “Fine, I will go up to nickel slots, but that’s it.”
“Oh, Evan, you’re so cute, with your little savings account and truthfully caring about your future,” Britney teased as she rolled her eyes and sat on her new husband’s lap.
Ward gripped her hip and beamed up at her as if she was his everything. Considering they’d only been married for around two months and, when they weren’t working, were constantly boinking each other, maybe they were each other’s everything.
I was pretty sure they were trying to get pregnant as quickly as possible before we all headed back out for our deployment. But I wasn’t going to judge because they looked damn happy.
And with the way that Keegan and Lacey were staring at each other, ready to be married in the next couple of days, I was only slightly jealous.
“A savings account is good,” Lacey said as she walked up to Keegan. I moved one seat to the right so she could sit next to him. Britney slid off Ward’s lap and took the empty seat next to him as none of us wanted to get kicked out of the airport for inappropriateness.
None of us were flying in uniform, but all of our bags were still those green duffels that couldn’t be mistaken for anything else.
The last thing we needed was our chief to hear that we were acting like idiots in public, and then there was no way we’d not get in trouble.
“Yes, a savings account is a good idea,” I grumbled.
Lacey cleared her throat. “Well, we are saving because we want a future. And we’re doing good. I promise we’re not going to go crazy and spend too much money.”
“That’s a good thing,” I said with a laugh.
“I’m just sad that Eli couldn’t join us,” Keegan said after a moment, speaking of my older brother.
I shrugged, missing my brothers, but this was par for the course these days. Keegan and Ward were my brothers now. “He’s currently in Korea, so I don’t think coming to Vegas for this wedding, however much he wanted to be here, was going to work.”
Eli had joined the Air Force before I had and was an officer while I was enlisted. My younger brothers Everett and East had joined up, too, and they were two years into their service.
I had a feeling that Elijah was going to join in the next few months, but we hadn’t spoken about it. I wasn’t sure if he would try for college or trade school or not, and honestly, I hadn’t had time to check in.
I needed to be better about that, but I didn’t want to bug him. It was his decision, and our family didn’t have the money to send all seven of us to college, which meant that many of us were doing what we thought was right—serving our country and taking the pressure off our parents.
My youngest brother Elliot and my sister Eliza were still in high school, so I didn’t know their plans, but it was my job to make sure they never had to deal with too much pressure.
“Okay, so we’re getting married, we’re going to gamble just a bit, eat way too much buffet food, and be good. No staying out too late and drinking so much that we make poor decisions,” Lacey said with a tight nod, as if she were reading off of a checklist. Knowing Lacey, she probably had a checklist and had it memorized. She was the reason we’d all been able to find flights and hotel rooms at a reasonable price to begin with, so I wasn’t going to judge.
Britney just rolled her eyes as she giggled into Ward, but I knew that she agreed. We didn’t want to get in trouble with a few days off before we had to fly back. Even getting these tickets at the discount rate was strapping us slightly, but this was their wedding, and we were going to make sure that Keegan and Lacey had a great time.
The fact that I was once again flying as a fifth wheel didn’t make it any easier.
&n bsp; “Now boarding flight EL855 to Las Vegas International Airport, zone one.”
We all began to gather our things, but we didn’t stand up or get in the way. We were zone six, and I already had a feeling that the zone sevens were standing at the front of the line, blocking everyone’s way.
“I just don’t know why they do that,” a woman mumbled under her breath near me, and I turned to see a woman with honey-brown hair with blond highlights and hazel eyes glaring at the line. She had a small bag on her lap and a tiny duffel bag next to her.
“What was that?” I asked, doing my best not to stare. She had high cheekbones, plump lips, and, from what I could tell from how she was sitting, curves that made my mouth water.
I tried not to leer at her because I wasn’t an idiot, but it was damn hard not to.
She looked up at me and blinked before blushing. “Did I say that out loud?”
I grinned since I couldn’t help it with that sweet face of hers. I cleared my throat, trying not to look like I was staring even though I was. “Yes, but I can ignore it if that would be better.”
“No, it’s okay.” She blushed harder, and I was transfixed. “I am just annoyed that everybody stands up and gathers around the gate all at once as if that would make things go faster.”
I snorted, grinning at her. “I was thinking the same thing. They’re probably all zone seven.”
“And here I am, zone six, just waiting.”
I held up my ticket stub. “Zone six here, too.”
She smiled at me then. “Good to know. I won’t stand up until you do.”
“Sounds like a plan. See you then.” Ward elbowed me hard in the ribs, and I looked at him. “What?”
“Hot,” he mouthed, even as his wife of two months just rolled her eyes and fluttered her eyelashes at him.
I did not want to be the one who got him in trouble, so I ignored him and turned back to my phone, playing a game while waiting for our zone to be called.
When zone six got called, there were no overhead compartments left, and people were champing at the bit. I just shook my head and walked past Ward and Britney, and then Keegan and Lacey, as they waved to me from their seats.
I was three rows back from them, and I was just glad that we could get two sets of two so that they could sit together. I didn’t mind being back here. I had my book and could just relax.
At that thought, I took a look at the person in the window seat and blinked. “Oh. Hi.”
The gorgeous woman from before smiled up at me. I’d stood up with her back when they’d called our zone, but we’d all been shuffled around that I’d lost sight of her until now. “Hi. Are you the middle seat or the row seat?”
I looked at my ticket and then up at the bulkhead. “The middle seat. Great,” I grumbled and took my place.
She winced. “Both of my bags fit under the seat in front of me, but if I’m taking up too much space, just let me know.”
I shook my head and stuffed my small bag underneath the seat next to hers. “It’s fine. We’re good.”
An older man with headphones in his ears and his phone in his hands took the seat next to me without a word, crossed his feet in front of him, folded his arms on his chest, and promptly fell asleep.
I looked over at him, shook my head, and then smiled at the woman who I seemingly couldn’t get enough of. “I wish I could do that.”
She looked past me, her teeth biting into that very bitable lip. “I can’t sleep on trips either. I try, though.”
“Well, I won’t bother you then,” I said quickly, worried that she was trying to be pointed with her remark. I moved a bit, trying to get comfortable. I was a big man, over six feet, and broad with muscles, but the girl next to me and the older man were both small enough that they weren’t taking up any space.
Instead, I was the bull in the China shop.
“I’m not going to sleep anyway. I’m just going to try to read. You too?” she asked, looking down at my phone.
I pulled up my e-reader and waved it. “I’ll try.”
“I’m Kendall, by the way,” she whispered, and I looked down at her, my heart racing. Why was it doing that? I’d seen and been with my share of beautiful woman…but there was just something about her.
“Evan.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Evan.”
“Likewise.”
I wouldn’t know until later that this flight changed my destiny.
I couldn’t stop talking to Kendall. Though I was trying to be quiet, I knew that others around us could probably hear my rough chuckle and her sweet laugh.
Her eyes brightened as we shared a ginger ale, since we were near the back of the plane and they had already run out of most sodas when they got to us. I just shook my head and opened my bag of peanuts so she could have them.
“So, what are you heading to Vegas for?” I asked as we did our best to relax.
“I’m meeting my family for a vacation.” She rolled her eyes, and I frowned.
“Vegas isn’t something that you wanted to do?”
“Considering my older brother can go into places, and my parents love gambling, I can’t really do much since I’m only twenty.”
That made me blink since that might be legal, but I was still a couple of years older than her. Plus going to Vegas under twenty-one didn’t make much sense. “Oh.”
“Yes, I’m an adult, but not adult enough to have a drink or walk into a casino, which is fine. I’ll just go drive to the Hoover Dam or something with our rental car, but it’s not the same.”
“I don’t know if Vegas is worth it for anyone under twenty-one.”
“That’s what I said, but I didn’t get a vote.” She shrugged. “It’s not that big of a deal. They have already been out there a couple of days. I came in later because I had to finish up my exams.”
“College then?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m trying to at least do a business degree before I think about if I want to go into culinary school or not.” She pressed her lips together. “Once again, I didn’t mean to actually say that out loud.”
“Culinary school?” I could barely boil water.
“I love it. I love cooking. It’s what I want to do, but my parents made me try for business first so I could follow in my dad’s footsteps. He’s an ‘entrepreneur,’ as he likes to say,” she said with a roll of her eyes.
There was a story there, but sitting in a metal tin can in the air surrounded by other people wasn’t the best place to ask about it. “I followed in my family’s footsteps too, but the Air Force isn’t exactly the same.”
She smiled up at me, and my heart flipped. What the hell? Flipped? “I noticed the hair and the bag, and I assumed, but I didn’t know what branch.”
I shrugged, which was hard to do in a middle seat. “Nobody ever actually thinks of Air Force. It’s usually Army or Marine.”
“Considering how many bases there are in San Antonio, you could be anything.”
My gaze kept traveling to her hands and the way she gripped them in front of her. They looked soft, and it was all I could do not to reach out and touch her. What the hell was wrong with me? “That’s true, but I’m at Lackland.”
She frowned, then nodded. “I know that base. Although I’m closer to Randolph.”
My lips twitched. “Look at you, knowing the names of bases.”
“It’s kind of hard not to when you live near them.”
She smiled then, and we talked a bit more, and when the plane hit a bit of turbulence, her eyes widened, and she gripped my hand. I looked down at her soft skin touching mine and swallowed hard.
