Page 9 of Ruthless In A Suit

“Levi?”

Cadence steps into the gallery, her gaze bouncing from painting to painting until she finds me standing in the back. I told her I’d gotten her private viewing of the show, which isn’t scheduled to open for another few days. Afterwards, I said, we’d go out to dinner, then head back to my place.

But as soon as she enters the gallery, the look on her face tells me she knows this night isn’t like other nights.

She looks gorgeous in a pair of skinny jeans, high-heeled boots, and a gauzy lavender top that falls off one shoulder. Her hair is in loose waves cascading down her back, and as always, minimal makeup allows her natural beauty to radiate out of her.

For a moment, I’m hit by a wave of guilt.

Maybe—just maybe—I should tell her the entire truth before we go too far and I can’t take any of it back.

Maybe I care enough about her to start fresh, to forget about the business, about my father screwing me over, about anything but Cadence and me.

Maybe it’s time to put someone else at the top of my priority list for a chance.

Cadence.

Us.

Together with no lies or secrets to hold us back from real happiness…

But then I steel myself once again, beating back the weak thoughts and the guilt and knowing that to go against the plan now would be to betray myself completely.

“Don’t blow this,” I mutter to myself as she crosses the floor towards me.

As soon as she’s in front of me, I reach into my pocket, pull out the black velvet ring box, and drop to one knee. I pop open the lid and smile up at her. “Cadence Fallon, will you marry me? Officially?”

She smiles, barely noticing the ring, and instead leaping into my lap and wrapping her arms around my neck.

The fact that it feels so good is not lost on me.

“Yes, you ridiculous idiot, of course I’ll marry you!” She says. “Yes tonight and every other night you ask.”

I laugh and put the ring box directly under her nose. She finally takes notice, her eyes lighting up as she gasps.

“It’s perfect,” she whispers, and I slide it carefully onto her finger. “I’ve never once imagined my engagement ring, and yet somehow this is exactly what I’ve always wanted. How did you do that?”

My heart surges at the unfettered joy she experiences.

“It seems I have a knack for giving you exactly what you want,” I reply.

“You know what this means, right?” She smiles ruefully.

“What?” I ask, wondering for a moment if she maybe somehow already knows the truth. But of course, she has no idea what I’ve done.

“You have to meet my parents.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Not a problem,” I reply. “I make first impressions for a living.”

“Yeah, you say that now. Just wait until you meet them.”

We kiss, and if there weren’t a bank of floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the street in front of us, I’d peel those jeans off right now. My mouth waters for the taste of her. But that will have to wait.

A lot of things will have to wait.

CADENCE

Brenda has been eyeingthe ring on my finger for days.