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I can’t keep a slight growl out of my voice as I add, “How you belong to me and nobody else. Nobody is ever going to touch you but me. Morning, noon, and night. You’re mine.”
She bites her lip, and I know I have her. Because no matter what her so-called good sense tells her, there’s a deeper understanding at work. Part of her that understands the connection we have. How unbreakable it is.
“I didn’t want to leave,” she whispers. “I really didn’t.”
My heart’s going to burst out of my chest. It’s too full. “So why did you try?”
“I didn’t want to have to face you if you acted like last night didn’t mean anything. It would’ve killed me.”
“I could never.”
“I was afraid to take the chance.” Her hands slide up my arms until they reach my shoulders. Her touch is a balm, soothing me. Healing me. “Last night meant so much to me. I couldn’t stand finding out it didn’t mean as much to you.”
“You’re kidding?” I’m laughing as I lie down, bringing her with me. “I intend on making that our New Year’s tradition. Making you come as the clock strikes midnight.”
“That was pretty amazing.”
“And the ideal way to start a fresh year. A fresh life. The two of us.”
“This is crazy. You know that, right?”
“People told me I was crazy to expand the company into Europe. Here I am, my business thriving. My instincts are never wrong.” I press my lips to her forehead, her nose, her eyelids. My precious, precious girl. My goddess.
“What about my job?”
“What about it? You don’t have to work, ever. Not anymore.”
She surprises me by pulling back—but I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve known since we spent afternoons in my parents’ basement, books and posterboard spread out in front of us, that she’s a hard worker and stubborn as hell, and she takes pride in both.
“I didn’t go through all that schoolwork to give up my career now. I wouldn’t be happy that way.”
“Whatever makes you happy, then. I’ll move my home office. Or you can come to New York with me and work out of that office. So long as we’re together, nothing else matters.”
“You really mean that, huh?”
“Harper, I’m in love with you.” I have to laugh at myself—those words have never come out of my mouth before now because I never had a reason to so much as consider them. Now, they fall out of my mouth like it’s nothing. “All I want is you and me. No matter where we are, and I want you to know that I never intended to take your job. You would’ve still been working for the company had you not become mine.”
“Thank god.” She closes her eyes, sending tears rolling down her cheeks, wetting my hands. “I love you, too. I always did. Even when I hated you.”
“Forget about that now.” I draw her close, needing her in my arms. We have so much time to make up for. “Let’s start fresh. Here and now. For the rest of our lives.”
“That sounds good to me.”
How did I get this lucky? Now I understand how pointless life was starting to feel, with nothing but work to keep me going. Having the promise of her in my arms and my life—being able to treat her like the queen she is—has given me purpose. I can’t wait to spoil the shit out of her.
But first…
“There’s one thing we need to talk about.” I lean back to scowl down at her. “You’re wearing too many clothes. Let’s do something about that.”
EPILOGUE
HARPER
“That’s right… just like that… show me how much you love it…”
My head bobs up and down in Colton’s lap while his praise rings in my ears. When I close my eyes, I can almost pretend we’re alone. That there aren’t handfuls of people wandering past our room, a few of them lingering nearby. Watching and enjoying.
It’s always like this. I love the time we spend alone at the penthouse we now share, but there’s something special about doing it in front of strangers. Something especially dark and dirty—in other words, hotter.
