Page 104 of Bad Boy Neighbor

“Olly, I could never?—”

“Listen, please,” he demands my attention. “I’ve always wanted to give back. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy family, and my schooling included scholarships and sports-related funding. I have all this money, but it’s pointless if I can’t help others. So, I was talking to Sebastian, and both he and I would like to open up our own soccer academy here in Australia. We would fight for government funding, of course, but want to invest our money into scholarships which will help less fortunate children.”

I’m speechless, still not understanding how that links to my work. “But… I don’t understand?”

“You’re experienced in running foundations, charity events, all the things we will need to do to make this work,” he tells me with a serious expression. I can tell he’s thought long and hard about this. “Playing A-league means my time is dedicated to training and games. I don’t trust many people, but I trust you, and so does Sebastian. So, what do you think?”

“It sounds… too good to be true, but I’d been saving to move out of Lana and Sebastian’s place.”

He places his hand in his pocket, removing a piece of paper. Carefully, he hands it to me, fixated on my reaction. I open the paper. It’s the first page of a contract. My eyes scan through the words until I comprehend what it means.

“Wait, Manhattan Beach… the house next door… I’m confused. Like rent it for the summer, but you want me to work here?”

“No… like live in it,” he states. “As in, it’s ours. You can get rid of that awful blue wallpaper in the bedroom.”

He bought us the house.

My lips fall apart, and in a dazed state, I try to find the right words to say at this moment.

“But I love that wallpaper.”

“Or keep it.” He chuckles, lacing his arms around my waist. “Say yes, please?”

Olly wants the best of both worlds, and that’s exactly what he’s given us. Neither one of us makes sacrifices, we both will continue to follow our passions, experience the best of both our cultures, and the best part—we will do it right beside each other.

He draws me to him with his eyes, inclines his face in perfect position with my own, and lays his mouth on mine gently. My hands wrap around his neck, gliding against his hair and caressing it between my fingers. Like a surging tide of warmth, leaving me helpless in his arms, my heart begins to sing the loudest of melodies.

This beautiful man is all mine.

His insistent mouth continues to part my swollen lips, sending wild tremors to every inch of my body. I pull away, shallow breaths consuming me as I stare deeply into his captivating green eyes.

“You could have shown me a cardboard box, and I would have said yes.”

“Well, if that’s the case…”

I gently slap his chest, my cheekbones hurting from the continuous smile I’m unable to hold back.

“I love you, Olly.”

“Of course you do, Gabs.”

I pull his face down to mine with annoyance, playfully teasing him.

“My bad boy neighbor.”

With a smirk, he rubs his chin. “Who would have thought you’d fall in love with the guy next door?”

Rubbing my nose against his, I grin. “The universe, baby. It was always in our cards.”

Epilogue

Gabriella

“Here, let me help you.”

Lana is bursting at the seams. Four days overdue with her second child, and she’s become a miserable beast. I shouldn’t use the word beast, after all, she is my best friend. An overly hormonal loose cannon would be more precise.

Sebastian has raced to be by her side, latching onto her arm to help her off the sofa.

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