Thank you so much for reading Never Been Tamed! I hope you enjoyed spending time with Ares & Harper–and Clyde!
This book was super fun for me. I really love the fake dating trope and it lends to all the funny moments. I also loved watching these two grow and find themselves together. Annnnnnyway … I wanted to write something fun and I hope you love this bonus!
Bonus Scene
Ares
“Oh, the retribution is going to be so nice this year,” I say as I take my wife’s hand in mine.
Today is going to be a glorious day. One that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.
Harper snorts a laugh. “You’re going to be the one dishing it out?”
“Of course.”
“Ares, my love, you’re a brilliant doctor, a wonderful husband, but you really suck at sports.”
I bristle at that comment. While she’s not wrong, she’s not right either. I don’t suck. I just don’t excel at it.
Even though for the last four months I hired the Infinity Ridge baseball pitcher to work with me on the side.
The freaking kid should go into politics for how much he charged me.
“I think you’ll be surprised.”
“If you hit the target, I really will be,” Harper replies.
Before I can give her shit for it though, she lifts up on her toes and kisses my cheek.
“Nice save,” I joke.
“I think you just need to remember that the pies you buy help the town.”
Last year, I apparently raised the highest amount they’ve ever raised. The senior center got the upgrades it needed, which also came thanks to my rather large donation from the clinic. If Mr. Gatlin hadn’t suffered his heart attack, I think we could’ve done much better. It was the least I could do.
Especially after I got my severance from the hospital in Chicago.
“I think I do a lot to help the town,” I remind her.
“Yes, you do. And everyone thinks you’re just the cutest.”
The tone in her voice tells me they don’t, in fact, think I’m that. They put up with me, mostly because I’m married to the most beloved daughter in the Stone family. Sure, they all like Veronica and Fallon, but Harper is the one who is always around Clyde so they see her the most. They think she’s just an angel.
And she is.
But she’s my angel.
I wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her to me. “And what do you think?”
She grins up at me. “I think you’re much more than cute.”
“Do you?”
“Yes. You’re old too.”
I huff. “You know how to break a man’s ego. That’s for sure.”
“I think of it more like keeping you humble.” She pats my chest. “Come on cutie pie, let’s go throw some stuff at people.”
When we get to the pie stand at the festival, instead of it being Tristan—who I was promised it would be, and I was excited to return the from last year—I see Monica Pham.
Right. Like this is going to go over well for me.
“We’ll come back,” I say quickly.
“Why? The mayor always takes a turn.”
“Yes, well, the mayor is also my co-owner, and she sort of hates me still.”
Harper sighs with an eyeroll. “She doesn’t hate you, she just thinks you’re a know it all. Which, honey, you kind of are.”
“Do you think we could spend the rest of the day without you humbling me so much?”
She shrugs. “We could, but what fun would that be?”
“For me? A great deal of fun. Like I said, we’ll come back when it’s Tristan or Jimmy, or a Gatlin brother.”
Her eyes alight at that one. “Oh, we are totally going to come back when one of them are here.”
My eyes narrow for a heartbeat. “I thought we were over that?”
“We are—for the most part.”
I shouldn’t be surprised at all. The families aren’t doing terrible things to each other anymore, but they’re not having Thanksgiving dinners together either. However, I enjoy being with them. The Gatlin family welcomed me in after I helped Mr. Gatlin. I’ve remained close with George and, in turn, I’ve gotten to know Deacon and Ryan as well.
“Okay, so why are you overjoyed—”
“Overjoyed?” Her tone is slightly offended at that word.
“Slightly excited?” I correct.
She puts her hands on her hips. “I’m not any of that. I mean, look, I like the idea of throwing things, that’s all.”
“Right, well, you can throw at Monica then.”
“I like Monica.”
My eyes widen as she just made my freaking point. I wait for her to come to the realization I just did, but it takes her a second. Then it clicks.
“Ohhh, that came out wrong.”
“It sure did.”
“Whatever. I’m just saying you can throw things at them. We’ll consider it payback for something they did in the past that we’re unaware of.”
Life with the Stone family is never dull, that’s for sure.
As I go to say something, Harper spots her best friend, Zoey and waves her down. We go over and say hi to her and the kids, Max and Millie, who are also now patients of mine.
“Dr. Pierce, did you know that you’re taller in the mornings?”
I chuckle. “I did know that. Do you know why?”
Max nods. “Mom said it’s the weight of the world she carries that has made her shorter.”
I try not to laugh. “She would be partially correct, but it’s actually because of your spine.”
He turns to his sister. “You’re short all the time.”
“Enough, Max,” Zoey cuts in. “So, what time is Ares’s spot for the pie throwing? I want to make sure we support our lovely local doctor.”
“I don’t have a spot this year,” I inform her.
She looks to Harper. “But you told me to be here by five to get in line.”
I look to my wife who purses her lips and shakes her head at Zoey.
“Harper?”
“Yes, dear?”
Dear? Oh, that means something we both know is a problem. She freaking did it again. After she assured me I would not be the recipient.
“Did you sign me up again?”
“You know, you say did I sign you up and … I didn’t.”
“But someone you love did?”
She shrugs slowly. “I mean, they could’ve. It was passed around to everyone in the town.”
“Uh huh.”
Well, that’s fine.
Because I have a surprise as well.
I walk to her, wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her to me. I love this woman. I love everything about her and the life we’re building. I love that each day I learn something new about her, about us, about who we’re becoming. My life was empty before she came into it, and I’m forever grateful I’ll never know that feeling again.
One of the best things we have though, is our sense of humor.
Her eyes meet mine, and I see the questions there. “I can see the wheels turning,” she tells me.
“No wheels, just happiness.”
“Oh, and why is that?”
I grin. “Because sweetheart, you’re signed up too. Seems we’re both about to be hit with pie this year.”
She bursts out laughing and then brings her mouth to mine. “Well played, Dr. Pierce. God, I love you.”
“I love you more.”
“How about we love each other forever then?”
I smile. “Sounds good to me.”
And it does. A life with Harper is the only life I want.
Thank you again for coming back to Heartstone Ranch with me! Next up, we have Veronica and Drew! You’re going to freaking LOVE them! I try not to have favorites, but they’re definitely up there!
