“So, if you’re thinking of removing a wall in your house to open up the floor plan, the first step is to determine if the wall you want to remove is a load-bearing wall.” I shine my flashlight up into the open walls as if I know what I’m looking at before saying my next line. “Don’t play around with this step.” I look into the camera. “Hire a contractor or an engineer. A mistake could cause your entire house to collapse.” I smile, ready to go to the next line until I hear the director call… “Cut!”

My shoulders slump. “What did he do this time?” I ask and cut my eyes to Elias, who’s looking like a sweet cherub. I don’t buy it.

The director fights a grin and shakes his head. I level my irritated eyes on Elias. We’ve been working on this same scene for over an hour. “What did you do?”

“Nothing, baby. I’m just standing here.” Elias blinks with an innocent grin.

I give him a dirty look, but he knows what it does to me when he calls me baby. His shenanigans have become one of the best parts of the show, in my opinion. But I keep that little fact to myself. Elias doesn’t need any encouragement.

Finally, we wrap on that scene and move out of the way for the crew to come in and actually finish the job. I’m not going to lie. When I first found out that Elias didn’t do all the work on the show, I was heartbroken. It’s not that he couldn’t, but there’s so much to do in such a short amount of time that having a crew of professional builders is a necessity. Time is money. I’ve heard that more than a few hundred times since we’ve been working on the Manor.

I’m amazed at how much lingo I’ve picked up in the months that we’ve been working on White’s Manor. I’m also amazed at how quickly I went from stuttering every line to feeling right at home in front of the camera. Elias had a lot to do with that. He has magical coaching skills. After another take, we finally finish the scene, and all we have to do is throw it to the sponsorship. Elias puts his arm around my waist as we stand side by side under the giant white oak tree looking into the camera and I say, “For more on this edition and to take a peek behind the scenes, go to home renovation TV dot com slash Facelift Reno.”

“That’s a wrap!” the director calls.

Elias’s hand drops away from me, but I keep smiling like I’ve been taught to do until the red light on the camera goes out, but it doesn’t. A movement catches the corner of my eye, and I wonder what crazy thing Elias is doing now that the camera guys want to catch for the bloopers show. When I turn my head, I don’t see at first see Elias. My head moves downward, and my hands spring to cover my gaping mouth.

“April.” He smiles up at me, and my heart goes all fluttery. “When I first met you, I honestly didn’t know you would become the most important person in my world. You are an extraordinary woman, and I want it all with you. I want to live in this house with you and I want us to fill it with the sounds of love and laughter from our children. April, will you marry me?”

After that, the rest became a blur. I honestly don’t remember what happened. Later, we watched the video, so Elias could prove to me that I did in fact say yes. Like I would say anything else. Silly man.

Now, a month later, the film crew is gone. Our house is perfect. Even better than I had imagined. Elias still grumbles because I won’t move in with him until after the wedding. Which will be at White’s Manor…in two more days. The show’s producers asked me to work with Elias full time, and I said yes. Something about our online chemistry and sky-high ratings. All I know is that our chemistry off-screen is epic. Grammy sold the flower shop and her house, and has moved into my home at White Oaks Apartments. We’re a bit crowded at the moment, but like I said, it’s only for two more days. I’ve never in my life been happier.

I feel Elias’s steps slow, and I hear a low growl in his throat as we walk down the sidewalk to Sixth Street Diner. His hand is clasped in mine, and I feel his body fill with tension. I look up and see his eyes glaring at the man walking toward us. I fight to keep the grin from my face. “Hey,” I say, but Elias doesn’t respond. Instead he continues to sneer. “Elias, look at me. Please, baby.” I wait, knowing that calling him baby will work.

His eyes slowly connect with mine. “Do you remember when we took a shower together last week in our trailer on set?”

His eyes flare and he’s suddenly at a loss for words. Yeah, it was that good. Who knew such a tiny space could be useful? Slowly, he nods, his grin growing.

I let my eyes smolder, and I know I have a very captive audience. “Do you remember when I took your cock to the back of my throat and swallowed everything you had to give me?”

I watch his throat bob as he tries to swallow. He all but gasps for air, but his head nods up and down quickly. I give him a sly grin. “Well, if you play nice with Banks, that’s in your future tonight.”

His grin almost splits his face. “Well, then, let’s go tell Biff hello.”

My rebellious young life ended after one incredible night spent with Filthy Arc’s lead singer Kyle Welsh.

A decade later, Kyle Welsh re-appears to claim his child. My son is the most important thing in my world, and there’s nothing I won’t do for him. Even forgiving his father and letting him into our lives and hearts.

The more I get to know Kyle, I realize he’s not the man on stage playing to sold-out arenas. Now, I’m crushing on him in a completely different way.  Our lives are complicated enough without adding an impossible relationship into the mix.

But that’s the thing with troublemakers; we can’t resist the lure of trouble. Especially when it feels so freakin’ good.

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