Page 187 of His Surrender

She got the job six weeks after everything happened between us.

Not through me—that part had mattered to her.

I offered contacts, introductions, and very connection I'd accumulated over more than a decade in business.

She thanked me and promptly informed me she wanted to do it herself… so she did.

She interviewed at seven companies, turned down two offers, and accepted a position at an advertising agency only fifteen minutes from my office.

We hired a nanny for Liana. Aubrey cried on the woman's first day then called me from work three times to check on them.

I enjoyed pointing out the irony far more than I should have that I’m not the only one who worries.

Now we both leave for work in the morning. We both come home. And somewhere along the way, this stopped feeling like my penthouse.

It's ours.

“I love you.” I slide my arm around her waist and pull her against me.

She tilts her face toward mine expectantly and I kiss her.

“Geez,” Sawyer complains behind us. “There are people here.”

I break the kiss just enough to look over Aubrey's shoulder.

“You're welcome to leave.”

“You're both insufferable,” Kayla says as she joins him.

Sawyer immediately slides an arm around her. The automatic nature of the gesture catches my attention.

So does the way Roman's hand finds Eva when she walks past him.

The way Walker looks toward Jessie when she laughs.

Lincoln pulling out a chair for Kylie without interrupting the conversation he's having with Colton.

Melissa reaching over to straighten Colton's collar before walking away.

Tiny things. Things I probably wouldn't have noticed a year ago.

Now they're everywhere.

I look around the room at the men I've known through different seasons of my life, and something strange settles over me.

Every single one of us fought this… love … in different ways, for different reasons.

We had money, careers, and homes most people could only dream of. Every material thing we could possibly want.

And somehow every one of us had convinced ourselves we didn't need the one thing money couldn't guarantee.

Lincoln. Roman. Walker. Colton. Sawyer. Me.

Six men who could control companies employing thousands of people or save hundreds of lives… and somehow became completely fucking helpless when the right woman walked into our lives.

I smile to myself.

“What?” Aubrey asks.